This Little Light of Mine
by Blizzard779
Summary: Total civil war has broken out over the U.S.A. due to a high-profile assassination in a country filled with tension. Leaving the town of South Park a battlefield between a rebellion army and government forces, leaving the residents to fend for themselves, against the forces of nature, forces of each faction and forces of each other and other survivors.
1. Chapter 1: Battle for Mainstreet

The stench of copper and gunpowder was thick and overwhelming. Yet gunfire was yet to cease, with deafening shouting of panicked orders from high ranked soldiers one way and gunfire being blasted the other. One of the main streets of South Park, a once semi-bustling stretch of rural living, now reduced to chaos, bloodshed and mayhem. Soldiers at either end of the boulevard were firing down to the other, hoping to claim the valued main road as friendly territory for their side. 

Kenny was questioning his own safety up on the second floor in a now crumbling dilapidated bakery on said street, wondering if at any second it would crumble to dust beneath him or if a squad of soldiers from either faction would see him and mistake him for an enemy. It was a harrowing thought, but he couldn't act on his instinct to up and run as moving from his position would give away his location or the sudden quick shift of weight would cause the floor to give way, almost lost a leg from trying to get into position. If he was going to move he'd have to move out the window and climb down onto the street, which in the center of the heated carnage would end with a bullet between, well everywhere knowing his own luck, and he could back this thought up with the man he saw who already attempted to make a break for it, Kenny looked to where he ended up for a reminder, man ended up mince meat from missile gone rogue. Should he move out he'd probably be met with a similar fate, being gunned down, as it's difficult for to distinguish between an enemy soldier or a terrified civilian in the smoke and gunfire. 

His fear slowly fades as the yelling and gunfire is replaced with a sudden, somehow more terrifying silence. Kenny gulped as he unsheathed a knife from his belt. Knowing full well that against a fully armed soldier, he would probably be bested in a head on duel. 

"Don't wanna go with my tail between my legs." He kept telling himself in hushed tones to try and raise his confidence. Shouts from the street interrupted his confidence building and made his heart quicken into a panic, to then be immediately soothed from the realization that they were shouts of testosterone and pride from the soldiers victory, they appeared to be soldiers of the rebellion at a glance over the windowsill. 

"Fuckin' assholes, wouldn't be caught dead wearing that uniform, " Kenny whispered, hoping his remarks weren't loud enough to travel onto the street. His resentment toward the rebellion was strong, those asswipes were the reason his town is more fucked up then usual, all because some dick-face in the white house was assassinated. 

Kenny didn't know all the details, as it happened quick and everything went to hell quicker. He didn't just dislike this rebellion, he hated the government forces as well, yet out of the recent skirmish he found himself in, he would've preferred the government get the win, at least things would've been one step closer to what they would have been before this bullshit war. 

As he waited for the foot soldiers of the 'civil' rebellion to pack up and roll out, Kenny had time to contemplate and reclaim his mind from the panic and adrenaline that had made him take refuge in a heavily damaged bakery while there was an almost intact sturdy post office next to him. 

Putting a mental note to slap himself later, he slowly gazed out the window to see the fresh corpses that now litter the street and the remaining soldiers move off north. He took his chance. Kenny quickly vaulted the crumbling bakery wall and started climbing his way down. After almost falling off and bashing his skull against the concrete below. Kenny safely jumped down the sidewalk and swiftly moved for an alleyway across the street, after halfway of swift moving over the bodies of the street, he stumbled on a fallen soldiers arm and landed face first on a gun. 

"Ow! Geez watch where you're going, dude" he dismissively said to the corpse, making himself feel better about not seeing the unmoving body. "A Springfield rifle? Must've been bring your gun to work day." Kenny mused, taking the gun his face fell flat on. "Thankfully dad has a gun just like this, mind if I borrow it? I know a thing or 2 about it so I could take care of it. Actually.. Dads rifle had a mark on the side of the chamber just like this one..does". As terror and worry engulfed Kenny, he turned to see his fears were met. 

"Dad... no..". Falling to his knees to see the soldier he had tripped over, had been once his father, with a missing left side of his torso, smoked lungs and shattered ribs spilling out. Kenny knelt in disbelief, eyes watering. The man who raised him, who had taken him camping when he was 12, who took him out drinking last year when he was 17, now lay dead before his feet. Something clicked in Kenny's head. It was only now, after a day and a bit of being caught in an all out total civil war, of trying to find where his friends and family had scattered to in the first bomb run, that it was real; too real. Real enough to start thinking that more loved ones could be dead like his father. People like Stan, Kyle, his mother...Karen. 

After this gut wrenching new grasp of the situation, Kenny picked up the rifle, strapped it around his shoulder, looted a pistol holder, a m1911 pistol and whatever ammo he knew of off other corpses. He looked down at his father one last time. 

"I told you this rebellion shit wasn't a good idea, was it worth it?" Kenny chocked. " I need to find everyone.. I need to find Karen. I swear to God if she's been taken or...". Kenny refused to think that any fate similar to his father's could happen to her, but he knew he had to be quick and find her as fast as he can. Kenny then walked away from the bloody, battle torn street, away from his father's disembodied corpse; and began his search for other survivors.

* * *

 **Authors Note : Ahhh! A story! A story that i deemed alright enough to throw out here! Woag! Honestly I've been meaning to write a story for yonks now and for some reason i thought this one would be ok to submit.. Yeah i don't know either. Of all the ones I've written and thrown away, this one, a story about south park in a hellish civil war while people try and survive it made it through. Well none the less i hope it was decent to read, and that it was worth your time. I was gonna end it there, leaving Kenny walking away and for you to figure out what happens next but that's no fun. So even if its just one person reading this then hey that's enough popularity for me to keep writing...Hell even if that one person is me. So i guess expect the new chapter soonish, i thought id have it done by now, but y'know life, it be a bitch sometimes. So yeah! Reviews appreciated, even just to tell me its shite, that's how one learns...i suppose. But yeah first story and all so play nice alright? Hope to update soon! Have a good day!**


	2. Chapter 2: Miracles Do Happen

A few hours of determined looking, Kenny realised the sun was hovering precariously close to the mountains edge, which he realised could only mean one thing. Nightfall and that it was dinner time, 2 things. Night time has become a deadly game of hide and seek on account of the war, especially after the town became a battlefield. Sturdy in-tact shelter was getting harder and harder to come by and resources and rations even more so. It was starting to make people do stupid things that they wouldn't be proud of before the conflict, or even after they're done it, most people still have souls; Kenny wanted the war ti end before that changed.

Since his search begun earlier today, Kenny stumbled across other civilians panicking around and scampering off streets to avoid being caught in gunfire, none of which he knew or will willing to talk, 18 years of living in this town and while he was friendly and caring for people he knew, he didn't really give a second glance to those he didn't.

"Damn, shoulda been more social of a dude. I'd have my own gang by now if I was buddies with everyone" While Kenny thought of his make shift posse, time slipped away and the sun had set. Kenny only realising this as his stomach growled at him for not getting anything to eat for the past day, which it wasn't a stranger too considering his prior life, but it wasn't sought after. "Alright, fuck. Chill out. I'll find something." He debated with his own stomach.

As the cold started to bite down on his nose, it had occurred to him he also didn't have a place to sleep, and with all the commotion about, it would probably be a necessity if you didn't want to become another number in the casualty statistic. Remembering his own home was in a bomb raid, which he was the only one home for and it was most likely little more than an ash pile at this stage; he decided to take refuge in a more or less un damaged bar. If he was lucky, he'd be able to find a something to drink and maybe even bar nuts or ingredients in the kitchen.

After stumbling in out of the cold, he noticed the aged bar once owned by Skeeter was in rather good knick. Still able to see where Skeeter had to stop cleaning the bar and move to safety, radio was still on, and still broadcasting the emergency message he heard moments before his house was reduced to cinders. That felt like a millennium ago. Jukebox still had its shine and broken light as it did before, with some new lights joining the broken trend. The only really thing out of place was that some of the roof had been blasted in, from what seemed an artillery shot being aimed from a dickhead who didn't know how to aim, and had crushed 2 or 3 people who are now skewered on the floor. Bar regulars who apparently wouldn't leave the place until the end.

"Yeah don't worry gents. I'd be in the same position if I was in my early 40's and absolutely off my face." Kenny mumbled, mostly to himself for his own amusement, until he realised it was true. Wiping the slight grin off his face he began to look around for something he could drink or eat. His goal was to fill his stomach with something, and something is what he found. "God damn, score!" he cheered as he found a row of whiskey and other assorted spirits in the back cabinet of the bar, along with 1 or 2 packets of peanuts. Hearing the gunfire start from just down the road, he thought he'd stay in for the night, less he be caught in the middle of another fire fight.

Kenny as an 18 year old wasn't large, but sleek, very quick and nimble; and very well built, averaging a height 5'11, finding a cosy spot for him to hide and sleep in shouldn't be too much of an issue. That doesn't mean figuring something out was gonna be easy. The only things he had with him was his hunting knife given to him from his father, his 2 guns, an orange hoodie, navy blue jeans, a belt, some sweet gloves he took off a military soldier after the bombing and his old, worn out converses. Not much in the way of sleeping items. "Well may as well look around, no point giving up and sleeping on tiles if there's a king sized bed in the back" Kenny convinced himself rather over optimistically.

Obviously there was no King sized bed in the kitchen. Kenny, genuinely rather down about that fact, was determined to keep looking. The kitchen was cold and un-inviting with lights switched off and benches not cleaned, but that did mean leftovers from when the place was abandoned. Some meals seemed to have already been gotten to, with plates stacked at the end of the preparation bench and some half eaten, which he felt rather strange about, as if it was not regular. Dismissing it as a normal occurrence in a kitchen, Kenny eagerly hunted around the buffet of slightly ripened cooking. "They've only been out for a day or 2, plus it's been freezing those days, they're perfectly fine." Kenny's hungry side thought convincing his rational one. Instinct always prevails.

After attempting to use the oven to warm up his meal and then realising that gas lines have either been shut off or destroyed, he sat down and pleasantly enjoyed his cold bar meal, appeasing his stomach. He then realised how close the sound of gunfire was, whoever it was theyve been pushed back to outside the front door of the bar. Kenny didn't have a choice now. He searched the bodies to try and find something of use, if not now then later. He managed to score a lighter, a small backpack a well knitted grey scarf. Kenny wasn't usually a man of scarfs but he decided to make an exception for this one, as his neck felt like it was being bitten into from the strength of the colds harsh wind from the fallen roof. Anything was better than nothing. Unfortunately that was all the warm equipment the men had, besides undressing them, and Kenny believed they should be left with at least that dignity.

He soon found a corner on the opposite side of the room to the front door, hidden behind the bar, so if any soldier boys kicked the door in, at least hid be hidden from a quick look in. He quickly gather makeshift bed materials from what he could find and quickly and sleepily put them together. "Fuck it, this'll do." Kenny had been hit from his complete lack of sleep, he'd gotten close to no shut eye in the past 2 days, and the sleep he got was barely 30 minutes each, if that. "Should I die before I wake'... then at least I'll get to sleep in." He groggily said before falling face first onto his makeshift bed of aprons and anything soft he had gathered around the place. It was by no means perfect, but Kenny didn't see a difference between his own bed and this, pile of clothes and toilet paper on a hard tiled floor, and with the gunshots beginning to die down, slowly embraced the siren known as sleep.

Next thing Kenny knew, he was abruptly woken up from a sudden cold wetness, and a voice.

"Hey. Asshole. Yeah you Blondie, wake up. We need to talk."

* * *

She's been out majority of the day, being held up from all the spontaneous gunfights and detours for supplies around the town. She knew the food she had back at her basecamp now wouldn't last forever seeing how it's not being looked after well. So she smiled with glee knowing that breaking and entering into a supermarket payed off. Sure, technically law still stood in place, but everyone knew this wasn't ending soon; the rebellion is as stubborn as they are determined, and hell, same went for the government. They'd do anything to make sure everything was under their power again, even cutting off supplies to remote towns and cities, thinking 'Oh the rebels will claim them'. Fucking idiots, they weren't desperate for food and supplies before, they'd let anyone walk past them with a box full of food with a slight smile, but now it's a completely different bullshit story. If any soldier thinks someone has food or water or even medical supplies, they'd be gun down for sure. They'd just be able to say that they were stealing from them or they worked for the other side and they'd be pardoned by their higher ups.

She felt tears welling up and took a breather from running and started hiding in an ally, next to a dumpster when she broke out into tears, thinking back to just yesterday when her old folks were gunned down for bringing provisions back, which they were even going to GIVE some to them. 'Those fucking bastards!' she shouted, not caring who heard, didn't even see which faction they belonged to, too overwhelmed from the fact her parents were gunned down for no reason, that they were able to grab the boxes and move out before she had gotten off her knees.

"This is costing you time. Get up. You're so close to your base, break down in there. Get up.' Her mind yelling at her, knowing the longer she's not inside, the more chance of danger there was. As she was gathering strength to stand, she noticed the gunfire in the street next to her and fell back down again. 'Another show of force from the rebellion probably, military got their asses handed to them on Main Street earlier, probably capitalising on their ego' her mind concluded, while wiping away tears. The battle for Main Street, she remembers being there thanking her lucky stars she didn't have to see the brutality that she heard. Thinking back to earlier today, hiding in the post office, mightn't have been the safest place to be with the battle happening right outside but it was better than that crappy destroyed bakery, which she could have sworn someone was in. "It was probably just a sniper, no one would be stupid enough to hide in there" she thought. These thoughts were cut short as an explosion just to the right of her brought her back to the reality and situation.

She steadied her breathing and starting listening past the chaos, listening to the orders being given. 'Fall back!' 'Retreat and regroup!' 'Get the fuck outta here!' Someone was getting their ass whooped. She poked her head out from the dumpster and scouted the area, there were troops retreating up the road, bodies littering the area almost stacking up in a pile, and military shouting in triumph.

"Well, how 'bout that, miracles do happen. Even to fucktards like them." She sourly spatted silently. "Doesn't mean there's a God though, lady luck must have a bitchy side. Huh I suppose that's what karma is, hey?" She kept her mouth shut after that as she thought one of the soldiers heard her, wasn't 100% but she didn't want to risk anything, especially her life.

She waited and twiddled with her fingerless gloves and joylessly played with her hoodie strings until finally the dickholes up and left after hearing yet more gunfire in the distance, sounded like Main Street again, it was a constant battle. She cautiously pulled out her dual pistols, and surveyed to see if any remaining troops remained to guard to street. Luckily for her that didn't seem to be the case. She quickly moved back to the front door of her base of operations, well the place she's claimed for her own until she can find a better one. It was kind of a shithole in her personal opinion.

Holstering her pistols, she quickly and silently opened and moved inside, before closing it gingerly, as if it was the wind. Closing it with a solid ker-clunk, she exhaled a sigh of relief for not being seen, as if the entire world fell off her shoulders. She turned away from the door and noticed things out of place, yet they were things that she couldn't put her finger on. Sceptical; she kept her hand hovering over her gun for quick draw, just for insurance.

She surveyed the scene, "Probably just got an asshole that raided. Fucks sake it's not even a week in and people have become desensitised enough to steal from small businesses, God everyone knows to raid big corporations, then move onto cheap bars" she said with bitter judgement. As if a hole in the ceiling and corpses skewered on rebar wasn't enough, but they had to take alcohol and one of her meals. 'I just should've eaten it when I had the chance."

That's when she noticed it, or him, a man. A man in the corner, lying on a pile of aprons and toilet paper. A man in navy blue jeans and an orange hoodie. She noticed he seemed to be out cold so she silently approached him to get a better look, pulling her bandana over her mouth and nose as she did. She noticed, as best she could in the dark bar lit with only full moon's light, his scruffy blonde hair, a slight scruff of beard on his face, he left cheek had a small scar, he was wearing a familiar scarf that she could've sworn she's seen somewhere recently. His converses were worn out and his size was relatively small, bigger than hers but she knew that wasn't much. Was relatively tall, to her anyway, about 5'10-6'1, was wearing what seemed like tactical gloves, he must've swiped from a government soldier. What was really getting to her was that he seemed very, very familiar, but couldn't put a name to the face. Even she, in her state of annoyance and anger, had to admit; it was a cute, handsome face.

Only problem she had now was how she was going to deal with him, she began the debate in her head. "I could just shoot him now, would mean I don't have to put any effort into thinking of a plan and dealing with him when he wakes up and that would mean that I would only really have to deal with that body, and corpses don't talk much. Only downside to that is that gunshot would attract local soldiers." Due to curiosity she decided not to kill him, for now. "Tying him up is an option, but he'd have to be a heavy sleep... Well I guess all it would take is to bind his hands and legs. At that point just sit him on one of these chairs." Off all the ideas she came up with, that one was best, because getting him naked and interrogating him until he answers for want of clothes probably wasn't going to work. If that happened to her, shed use it as a way to turn the tables to get what she wants, why wouldn't he?

She proceeded to bind him, thankfully he was a deep sleeper or this is the first sleep he's gotten in a bit, either way, she was able to bind him and place him on the chair, and even tie him to said chair with no problems. Now came the hard part.

She got a bottle of water from the broken fridge, took off the lid, made sure her bandana was in place over her mouth and nose, drew her left gun and sprayed some water on his face, making sure it wasn't a lot, but enough he jumped out of shock. That was her queue

"Hey. Asshole. Yeah you Blondie, wake up. We need to talk."

* * *

 **Authors Note: Ooo Somethings happenin. Finally. Who is the mystery girl? How will Kenny get out of his binds? Will things pick up steam from here on out? Will these questions be answered next chapter? Maybe, maybe not. Youll have to find out now wont you? Cliffhangered! Soz il try and make sure that doesn't happen too much. Reviews appreciated! Thanks for reading! Youre an amazing human bean! Next chapter soonish.**


	3. Chapter 3: Too Low For A Boys Comfort

**Quick Authors Note: Thank you so much to 1210am for the review! I was getting worried one would never show. And thank you so much or the favourite and follow, its definitely encouraging. That being said, i realised i posted the last chapter without adding some details i planned.. not crucial ones but yeaah, just thought id let yall know. Anyways with that out of that way, here be a chapter.**

* * *

Kenny's mind was in and out and still groggy. His eyes fogged and his vision blurred from the sudden, unexpected wake up call.

As he tried wiping the sleep out of his eyes and to slap the sleep out of himself, he realised his hands were unresponsive, better yet restrained. They were behind his back., he quickly figured out they were tied up around at the wrists, he then realised he had something solid beneath his ass. He then began to comprehended his present scenario was most likely, him, in a chair, tied down, unable to stand or escape from his new found captor.

"I ain't askin twice, asswipe." A shadowed figure in front of him hissed venomously, alarmingly close.

"The fuck..." Kenny sluggishly blurted out while slumping over to try to regather his mind and thoughts. Yet a good whack to the head from a pistol woke his brain up for him, if not forced it to.

"Ow! The fuck!?" He replied with irritation and slight frustration, now his head hurt and he couldn't even rub it better.

"Oh, so sorry sleeping beauty, did I wake you?" Mocked the covered faced individual sarcastically.

From what Kenny could see of them in the pale moonlight filing the room from the hole in the ceiling, the figure was a short and small person with their face was covered with something, looked to be an old bandana. It was blocking their facial features from any close inspection; as well as their body, it was too early to tell if his 'overseer' was a man or woman, as they seemed dressed for an arctic winter. A heavy orange parka with the hood up, covering the hair and covering their torso, so even if it was the most 'blessed in the chest' woman he ever met, he wouldn't be able to tell at the moment. Something he could tell however was, by the way they talked, that they were similar ages, maybe a year off each other, 2 years at the very most. Their voice was definitely in the range of female, but he thought best not to jump the gun in case they are sensitive about the issue, "Don't wanna go pissing off someone who's confused and has a gun". Small hands though, fingerless gloves covering their palms from the cold. From a glance downward, he could see stonewashed jeans and at the ankle, cut off into black boots. All in all, not a particularly scary or intimidating looking adversary, but what was particularly scary was the fact Kenny had no clue what was happening, who this person was, what they wanted and mostly for the fact that the accuser was brandishing a firearm pointed at his skull while his weapons, he remembered, were lying with his shitty 'do it yourself' toilet paper bed in the corner.

His thought of 'what the fuck is this situation' was interrupted by backhand across the face with a gun.

"Apparently still off in dreamland, but I'm sure that had to do something, if not then this should get your attention." The dark figure said as they pointed the barrel at the dome of his skull. This threat has happened so many times to Kenny, it was bordering to a cliché for him. He has been involved in a robbery, hostage situation and a gang war, and those were just off the top of his head. In his past 18 years, Kenny's walked away from death by bullet to the brain more times than he could count.

He knew if they did pull the trigger, he'd most likely be back, only downside is he'd have to come back here to take back his things, but he could figure that out when he wakes up from his death. He showed no fear.

"You'd think so, but I'm a particularly hard headed, 'persistent' kinda guy. Point away." A smug Kenny said with self-satisfaction in his eyes.

"No? Well alright, but how do you get to a man who doesn't fear death, well then how aboooooout, HERE?!" She said sinisterly slowly, moving the gun to different body parts until she finished off by ramming it into his crotch. "Now, even if this doesn't kill ya, which it probably will. I don't think you're gonna be too happy livin with nothing in this region."

"OO! That's fucking low..." He painfully mumbled, higher pitched than usual. If Kenny got anything out of this, he knew his torturer was a woman, a man wouldn't be so cruel to another, at least not so quickly, it was just an unwritten dude code.

"Yeah that is pretty low, I'm guessing especially too low for a boys comfort. So I guess that means you're willing to start fucking talking, and answer some damn questions." The now evident girl stated.

"Yeah, shoot...WAIT NO! Wrong phrasing! I just meant go ahead." Kenny said in a panic, he may be able to die without issue, but still, getting his dick shot off was exactly on his 'to-do' list.

"Christ, I thought you were insane for a second. Glad to hear then, I'd hate to clean up the mess of what remains after I shoot it off, not to say I wouldn't do it." She laughed, too adorably for the position she's in.

'Why the fuck did she laugh?.. Right, well, I feel if I let this this keep going, it's not going to end too good. I need a plan. Ok well if she is a girl. I can just smoothly talk to her down, making constant eye contact and pray to God she doesn't swing for the other team.' Kenny knew most girls found him a sight to see, ever since he started wearing his hood down since puberty, he didn't really want to think much about it, but if he used this power correctly, he might just get himself out of here in one piece.

"Alright then, Mr 'I love my pee pee'. Answer me. Who the fuck are you? Why the fuck are you here? And who the fuck do you think you are eating my plate of spaghetti?" She stated reappointing the gun at his head, rather emotional over the last question. He couldn't blame her, it was damn good cold spaghetti.

"Well, I may as well ask you the same questions! I mean your first instinct when you see someone sleeping is to tie them up and interrogate them with a gun?! I mean I like to say I'm open to some weird kinky stuff but this is a little off the edge isn't it?" Kenny retorted.

"Please, you'd be so lucky if that was the case, I wouldn't be covering myself up this much if that was my end game. Look, just answer the damn questions and you can be spared from a bullet tearing apart your wiener." She somehow said in a terrifying yet arousing tone. It was just something about her voice. Kenny couldn't understand why, but her voice was so familiar and calming. Like he had really gotten to know who this person was, but with all the shit covering her and it coming out muffled, he hadn't got a clue. He realised his been silent for the past 10 or so seconds, before she got any ideas he came back with an answer.

"I guess that's a fair deal. But! If I answer the questions, you have to answer them too. I'd say that makes it extra fair. For both of us." Kenny purred, with his charming eyes. "I mean if you stick to your end of the bargain, then we're both gonna be here together. I mean, might as well stick out the night. Hell, could even lead to a partnership. You gotta think about the advantages of that, a 2 person squad, we'd be able to cover each other and cover more ground for scouting troops and supplies. C'mon, even you gotta admit something to yourself here. You're scared." Kenny's eyes became more direct, focused and determined, knowing if he didn't have her attention, he definitely did now. "You're terrified of everything that's happening, what it will lead to. I know you are, because I'm scared too. I know that something's happened to both of us that's resulted in us both being alone, away from everyone else, or even losing them, running and looking for a way to live. We're alone; and we don't know when this Hell will end and we don't know how everyone's going to cope with it. Sure everyone's escaped to the safety of the 'Safe Haven' camps outside the town and other cities and stuff. Once all the people there realise this isn't ending soon, or when they run out of supplies, I don't think they'll be too happy either, so what are they gonna do? Like it or not, we're gonna need each other. If I'm wrong then just put a bullet in me and fucking prove it. Prove to me you're not scared. Do it!" Kenny finished, tears threatening to break away from the emotion put into his speech.

Any idea of Kenny handling the situation delicately flew out the window, he had to know where this girl stood, whoever she was. After closing his mouth however, Kennys heart was beating in his throat. He didn't want to see this woman be lost to savagery, because he knew if she did, things were going to go down in a way he really would rather not. Whoever she was, Kenny liked her, he didn't want to have to hurt her, he didn't know if he could bring himself to do it either. In an almost desperate plea, Kenny stared right into her hazel eyes. They were beautiful, one of the most beautiful he'd ever seen. They somehow felt so warm and familiar, even though at present they were cold, distant and unreadable. All he knew was, if he ended up a bloodied corpse, he'd be heartbroken.

There was a deep silence in the dim room after Kenny's proposal, occasionally broken by a burst of gunfire in the distance. The girl moved behind Kenny, unsheathing a knife from one of her boots, making Kenny very tense, knowing at any second he could have his throat slit or be stabbed in the back or in the head. For every second that passed, Kenny was getting more and more afraid. His heart beating faster and faster, however, he knew he had to keep his poker face consistent, even if she could hear his heart beating a mile a minute. Knowing very well if she declines his deal, he'll be left strapped to a chair and bleeding out, knowing when he came back, he'd have to deal with this young woman. Even thinking about it was making Kenny distraught.

He felt her approach from behind, putting her hand on his shoulder, knife hand unseen. Kenny closed his eyes, fearing if he opened them, he'd see nothing but black. The unforgiving scene of death.

Kenny then felt his arms go limp, falling to his side, which isn't how death usually felt. He opened his eyes. His arms were free. A second after this realisation, a knife pierced the wood between his legs, just missing his crotch.

"Use it to unbind your legs... and I'm still expecting an answer from you, don't think you're off the hook so easy." Oh, the sweet sound of redemption in the form of a hooded figure, almost murderer.

"I mean you could've just given me the knife, but I trust your knife throwing skills. Definitely calculated, well at least that's how I'm gonna think of it. Don't tell me it's otherwise, I'd like to know the fate of lil' Kenny wasn't just chanced upon." Kenny said, untying and cutting through the ropes and soothing his hurting wrists, it was quite the tight knot, almost cut all circulation off.

"Lil Kenny?" The stranger stopped in her tracks once she heard the name.

"Yeah, y'know? Don't wanna be too graphic, but my dick? Guys usually call it their 'lil' 'insert name here'." Kenny stated matter of factly. Did she just not know? He thought everyone knew.

"Yeah dumbass, I fuckin know that, but Kenny? Is that your name? Like, Kenny McCormick?" It finally rang a bell, as she could recognise him with the name in her arsenal. It had been forever since they last saw each other.

"How do you know my name? We didn't have a one night stand did we? If so, I would've told you to your face if it was, so there should be no need for revenge, right?" Kenny was starting to feel concerned, he knew she probably knew him, but it was the fact Kenny didn't know her, or maybe it was the fact of the masquerade she has going with the bandana and hood. "Y'know you're being very secretive, might I add. Seeing how you know things about me and you let me free, shouldn't you be a little less distant? C'mon, I'm sure there's a sexy face to that voice."

"Well, I guess it's just a matter of if you recognise me.." She trailed off, she seemed quite nervous.

"What do you mean by that?" Kenny stood up, puzzled. He began moving toward her, almost reaching out to remove the bandana.

Standing in light of the full moon, she hesitantly took off the parka, she was wearing a red, long sleeved crop top with the sleeves up to her elbows and a flowery pattern across the neckline, coming down to see slight cleavage, and from Kenny's quick glance downward, he was almost spot on with thinking she could be very 'blessed in the chest'. From a very educated guess, he'd say that she was definitely rocking DD's. Kenny being distracted by his educational guesses moved his glimpsed upward to see that she was taking off the bandana.

As the bandana was lifted off her face, Kenny felt a nostalgic wave hit him at full force as he remembered who she was. Well, a person that looked a hell of a lot like her some years ago. He was stunned, for the first time in his life, speechless about a woman.

"You figure it out yet? Or do I have one of those forgettable faces." She stated rather scornfully.

"..T-Tammy?"

"Well il be damned, would've thought I'd be long gone out of your memory, Ken." said Tammy. Hearing his old love call him by his nickname again gave him chills, of the good kind. There was just something about the way she said it that he always had a sweet spot for.

"Well, it's definitely good to hear your voice unmuffled again, I don't think it suited you. Your voice is too nice to hide away." Kenny sheepishly said, trying to mend holes from the past.

"Save it, man whore. Don't think I didn't hear about you and your reputation before I left and this shit went down, trust me it was hard not to... I just want to make it clear that 'this" She pointed between the 2 of them. "Ain't ever happenin again, cause you've fucking changed from the nice, sweet guy I went out with all those years back. Now you're just always putting others beneath some stupid shit."

The last time Kenny and Tammy were together was back just before high school. They were the perfect couple together, even rivalling Stan and Wendy for strongest power couple. They both behaved themselves, beside the odd feel up and ass slap, and they were good for each other. That is until Kenny had started working, Tammy had started feeling unloved and insignificant to Kenny working almost full time with school, but Kenny was doing it for her, saving up to buy her a motorcycle that she always wanted. With all the work and school projects, Kenny was always exhausted when it came for their time together, eventually, Tammy had to leave school due to her financial situation and had to start working herself, creating an even bigger barrier. In the end, they rarely saw each other anymore and Tammy had had enough, thinking Kenny was always going to treat her like she was third best, under work and school; she ended it in a tear filled meet up at Starks Pond. A few days later, Kenny was able to afford the motorbike, yet Tammy had said if he came around desperately to try and tell her lies, he was going to end up with no balls in an alley way. So, in a state of spite anger, he bought his own motorbike, one similar to the one Tammy wanted all her life, and when started riding it around town, he was the envy of every man, the want of every lady and the biggest asshole in existence to Tammy. Both heartbroken, they refused to acknowledge each other's existence. Eventually, in the last 2 years of high school, Kenny started sleeping around to fill the void, and Tammy left town all together, telling no one where she was going or if she'd come back. When Kenny heard this, he spent a whole week without leaving his house, drinking and sobbing to himself, not that he'd let anyone know about that last part, except Karen, she was his only shoulder to cry on and only person to talk to, no one knew where Tammy Warner had run off to.

Yet here she stood, a few feet away, staring daggers at Kenny for acting the way he did. Which he knew he had deserved them.

"Alright, that's fair enough. Well, that's one question down." Kenny reminded. On the surface, he seemed unmoved from Tammy's conditions, but Tammy sensed something off about his last sentence, as if he'd been winded

"What? Oh..." Tammy caught on. "You mean the interrogation questions?"

"Well a promise is a promise, especially when such a serious threat was made to ones...manlihood." Kenny shivered at the thought.

"Yeah be lucky I didn't follow through, I had the right mind to do it. Right, what were my questions again?" Tammy questioned. "What was your name, which yeah, that's done."

"I believe the next one was, 'Why the fuck are you here?" Kenny quoted flatly. "And the answer to that is, if I didn't hide here, I would've been caught in another major gunfight, which I have already been involved in one today, and while it was definitely ... important to be there, I'd rather not risk my head in another." Kenny explained, thinking back to his father laying dead, blown up in the street. "What about you?" He tried to move the conversation on. "Actually, I'd like to change my question, you skipped town, why'd you think comin back in a fucking war was a good idea? And don't say, 'oh I just missed the fresh mountain air' cause it's winter and the entire town smelled like smoke, well I guess it still does now anyway."

"Well, I came to South Park and the bar because I'm familiar with it, and I just got here, to this bar, at the time shit hit the fan, so I figured it was a good a place as any, beside I spent $12 on a bowl of spaghetti so I thought id at least eat that before I left, which now I fucking cant, and when's the next god damn time I'm gonna be able to enjoy some god damn spaghetti?!" Tammy very affected by Kenny's choice to eat that specific dish. Kenny didn't 100% believe her story, but he felt now wasn't the time to doubt the reason 'how' she was here, he was after answer to 'why'.

"Ok, fuck I'm sorry. I'll be on the lookout for spaghetti. Also just FYI, you didn't answer my question either, just kinda changed the subject." Kenny was very curious, what would bring her back here, especially when the country was reaching the peak of its political tension, it was almost at the point of obvious that some form of war was gonna break out.

"Yeah and I'm not gonna answer it either, you said I only had to answer the interrogation questions. I'm not answering some shit you just decided to sling my way, just 'cause you're curious. I don't have to answer about my private life." Tammy defensively snapped. Obviously there was a nerve Kenny touched. Tammy sighed "Look Ken, for what it's worth, I'm sorry for being so protective about myself, but I just don't trust you anymore. Not after what happened to us, but I know that now we're doing this whole, survive thing together were going to have to rely on each other, so for just to put that dirty mind of yours to rest, I will do what I have do to make sure you're safe, I may not want to but I will, because if you're alive then you can go out and do the life threatening stuff and I can watch all our stuff. Also 'cause, even if you're an asshole and sometimes a shithead, I don't wanna lose anyone else I know 'cause of some stupid war." Tammy choked out the confession, quietly and sorrowful, tears forming.

Kenny's old instinct kicked in, he moved across the gap between them and hugged her, they may not be on the best of terms, but even when they were apart, Kenny hated seeing her sad and scared. "Hey, don't worry about that, I'll be fine, and if it means you'll be home safe, I'll definitely go out and do the scouting. You have my word, hate me all you want but you won't be losing me anytime soon, hear me? After all the shit I pulled in the past, you have a right to be pissed and distrusting of me." He guided her over to his make shift toilet paper, apron bed. "Here, lay down. I reckon it's time we tried to get a bit of rest." He sat his ex down onto the bed and moved his weapons out of the way, sheathing his knife in his belt.

"Thanks, Ken." Tammy softly said with some tears, the wounds of her recently deceased parents still aching. She lied down onto the surprisingly comfy "mattress".

"Hey, scoots over a bit will ya?" Kenny said sitting down next to her.

"And what do you think you're doing?" Tammy asked roughly, keeping her eye where his hands were.

"It'll be warmer if we cuddle up, wouldn't it?" Kenny said with his rational hormones. After a few moments Tammy responded

"Not too close, and no spooning." Tammy gave the sleeping guidelines down. "And Kenny."

"Mm?" Kenny kept his eyes trained on the door as he laid down.

"You never answered why you ate my spaghetti..."

* * *

 **Holy Goood, i spent up until 3am to finalise this chapter, i didnt even notice the time fly, this was just a neat chapter to write and the last part was fun to write. So how about thaaat, mystery woman revealed. Im happy that thats sorted. Alright then, theres another chapter, thank you so much 1210am for being the first person, congrats! We can be besties now. And everyone else, il have the next chapter up asap, but 1210am will probably see it first, unless you follooooow. Do what you want, but itll make me smile to see more people followoing and favouriting, but especially reviewing. But thanks so much for reading! Il update soon. Have a tremendous day!  
**


	4. Chapter 4: Bliss, Hellish Bliss

The sun rose over the mountainous horizon, sunlight visible through a thick fog made of cloud and smoke. Day 3 of the war, yet it hasn't appeared to slow down as Kenny was abruptly awoken with an explosion that brought a nearby building down.

Kenny, in his dazed state, hunted for his knife out of his belt next to the bed for this unseen threat, yet grabbed the belt itself, threatening the door with it. He was surprised he was woken up at all, he planned for himself that he was staying up to let Tammy sleep soundly, and in more or less peace. Which didn't seem to have been an issue, as even after a building was brought down nearby, Tammy's entire reaction was to pull more toilet paper over herself and to groan a little bit before turning over, going back to, what Kenny could only describe as, a state of comatose.

"You could hold a metal concert in the kitchen and you'd still get a good night's rest..." Kenny scowled in jealousy with a hint of admiration, he couldn't have gotten more than 3-4 hours of sleep.

From the feel of the air, and temperature being appallingly cold, and from the fact he could see orange coming in from the roof, it was sunrise, about 6-7. Luckily he was an early morning riser, so his body clock was still right, but he felt like shit. He stood up, out of the warm 'bed', and holstered his pistol.

He moved toward the front door to peak outside, assuming the street would be void of any life. He opened the door a tad and poked his head out and looked, he saw a newly collapsed building across the road about 2 doors down, with the sunrise. It was almost picturesque. As he looked down to the other side of the street, he could see he was quite wrong about no signs of life.

Down the road, he saw a rebellion support camp set up, with a several soldiers. Kenny was guessing that wasn't all of them. Luckily, they were at the intersection on the far end of the street, but they were facing them. Far enough away so noise could be made by the 2 in the bar, yet they were trapped in the boundaries of the bar, and there was no leaving out the back, the only exit from there is an alley way that's been blocked off from the building next to the bar that hadn't faired so well to a bombardment.

Fortunately, from his father's short time in the rebellion force, he knew if these support camps weren't in a good foothold for a battle, it was usually moved to support another fight. So, at best he knew the pair of them were stuck there for a day or 2, if that. He moved back inside, out of the crisp morning air.

"Well, if we're not going anywhere today, suppose we could settle in. Probably give the place a good 'dusting'." He said looking at the gore and debris of the fallen roof. "Could also actually look around here and see if there's anything useful, while we're at it, should see if there's a ladder or something so we can climb onto the roof, seems sunny out today. Could use a tan, and a lookout point." Kenny made a list of things to do in his head, and talked to himself out loud. Tammy begrudgingly opened her eyes, as she slowly sat up, she started to shiver, she put on the parka that she threw next to the bed last night and was contempt with having zipper undone, she was happy with the look of the dull orange on the vibrant red of her shirt.

She stood up, and stretched, felt like that her legs were as stiff as a cadaver, but besides that she felt good, that was the best sleep she's had in days. Having a body to mooch heat off did wonders for a girl "Might just keep him around for that alone." She thought to herself and smiled. Her smile faded as she looked next to her, to see an empty side of a bed and to see Kenny, looking like his planning renovations to the Sistine chapel, measuring with his fingers, tongue out and muttering to himself like an idiot.

She moved over to next to him, but he was lost in his own world of thinking of things to do and getting somehow terribly off topic.

"I wonder what ants are thinking about this war..." He incoherently said.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Tammy's sudden appearance made Kenny jump, and to forget about the ants, he'll have to come back to that.

"Christ, give me a heart attack why don't you?!" Kenny exclaimed, rather dramatically in Tammy's opinion, but that was Kenny.

"Yeah, that's the plan. What the hell are you doing?" She asked out of curiosity and confusion, but mostly confusion; it was weird enough to wake up in a bed she shared with her ex, but even more so to see him moving around talking quietly to dead bodies.

"If you really wanna know, and since you asked so 'nicely', I'm making a plan for today, cause with it being an inside day for today and all. Oh, yeah, don't leave the bar, there's a camp of soldiers just down that way of the road, BUT, there is a really pretty sunrise that way of the road." He pointed in both directions respectfully. "You can poke your head to see it if you wanna, just don't make it too obvious you're there because I don't wanna be cleaning of your brain from the door because a sniper saw you. Oh and good morning!" He announced, almost too cheerfully after that snippet of conversation.

"What the fuck do you mean there's a camp?!" Tammy returned, panicked; obviously concerned for their well being. She then began speaking in quiet tones. "If there's a fucking camp near us then how in hell are we gonna get out? And wont they be comin in here soon enough to look for shit?!"

"We'll be fine." Kenny returned in a normal tone, moving towards the kitchen to head out the back. "They aren't gonna bother looking in here. An old busted down bar that was involved in a bombing?" He changed direction to the front door. "They probably won't even give this place a second look, and for the ones that do..." He locked the door. "Happy? Now, where do you want to start?" He asked almost rhetorically, seeing the bitterness in her eyes. "If you really don't wanna do it, you don't have to I suppose. It's just nothin else is really gonna be happenin without be shot at today and at least we're doing something this way." Kenny said with a hint of grief in his eyes.

Tammy looked at him, a hint of curiosity and compassion in her eyes. "No, it's ok. You're right anyway. My ass is just gonna get flat if I'm sitting on it all day." She said jokingly, trying to make his eyes light up like a happy child, like they usually do when someone talks about female body parts.

She may not have 100% liked the situation she was in with her ex-boyfriend, but she saw no point in making it worse. What he said last night that made her let him free was true. They're going to need each other in these next few days, even weeks if they wanted to keep breathing. So she might as well make good company for each other, no point both of them moping around each other, because then their gonna have to make 2 beds, and that means her main heat source is gone.

For some reason it took Kenny a few seconds of blankly staring at a wall, but then he smiled again and looked at her. "And not even Satan would wanna punish me that badly; your ass is too fine to deserve such a wicked fate." Kenny said with his unique charm and distinctive smile. Wherever he went in his mind, he was more or less back now. "Alright, c'mon then, let's go check out the back situation."

Tammy was sure there was going to be a joke about that, she prepared to roll her eyes, but nothing came. That was peculiar, it made her think about what might have happened over the past few years she was gone, had he changed? A whisper in the back of her mind prayed that wasn't the case.

They walked out the back door of the kitchen and checked out the back alley. There was only one alley way that led to the street, it was just to the left of the back door and that was next to the bar which took them to the street at the front door. The rest was just 4 walls of buildings, no way in or out from anywhere else, looked like there used to be, there was a doorway to the building across from them but when they open it, rubble spewed out, there was no way in, it was collapsed.

"Well, I mean it's a cosy, little place. Could have a bonfire area out here." Kenny still seemed to be in his house decorator persona. "But besides that, not much use. We could move the rubble around to the alleyway, to discourage anyone off from coming over here. The bodies would be a nice touch." He said nonchalantly.

"It's fucked up, but I guess that means it'd work." Tammy still wasn't used to the fact of death; it was a new concept to her. She put on a brave face but she subconsciously knew that there's only so much she'd be able to take.

"Alright, times burning away, let's get to it then." Kenny moved back inside to begin the trial of lifting.

* * *

After a few hours of cleaning, dumping rocks and worrying about the cuts Kenny's been getting from moving rebar and rock, Tammy slipped out the back for time to think. She looked through the door to see if Kenny was nearby, but he was in the main bar area, seeing what worked and what they didn't need, he was determined to get the juke-box to play again. After a second glance, she pulled out a cigarette from a packet, lighting it with a blue opaque lighter she found yesterday in a gutter.

She put the bud to her lips and inhaled the sweet poison. She and Kenny smoked when they were in high school, shortly before their controversy they stopped; she doesn't know if he kept his word after the whole drama, but she started again recently, she didn't know why.

Maybe it was because of all the pressure being built up around the country from all the changes in laws and freedoms, maybe it was from the stress of her family breaking down around her, or even just from the simple fact she had no idea what to do, how things will unveil, that all the people she knew, grew up with and cared for, she just walked away from. She just couldn't handle it, she needed an escape, and the way she saw it, this was better than a copious amount of drugs. Yet she knew it wasn't good for her.

"How the fuck did I get here...' that was all she could repeat in her mind, she knew the answer. It was her choice, everything up to this point was her decision, she could've gotten out of the country, gotten a job, maybe even do an interview with a news show to describe her time in the U.S. at its most vital moment, it's downfall. The chance was right in front of her.

* * *

4 days ago

 _"What do you mean you're not coming with?!" Her aunt, crazed with fear about the new war that started not 2 hours ago. A plane set to leave for anywhere that would accept refugees from war, probably Canada, ever since the United States declared peace before sending in ground troops in the great Canadian-U.S. war 9 years ago, theyve been very tolerant toward the United States._

 _She knew if she stayed behind, her parents would instantly jump off the plane to support her. They may have been going through a terrible rough patch in their relationship, but something the 2 drunks could agree on was keeping Tammy safe, no matter what happens._

 _"I've got to stay! I have to." Tammy gave no more detail than that, but sure enough, the second they heard that sentence, and seconds before takeoff, her parents came off the plane and hugged her. Getting some scolding yet worried looks from the rest of the family on the plane._

 _Tammy didn't want her parents to stay with her, she wanted for them to get to safety ASAP, but she knew that's exactly what they wanted for her. So she accepted the hug._

* * *

Tammy was brought back from her memories from a quick burn to her finger, the now stub of cigarette was hurled to the floor.

She felt tears breaking from her eyes; she sniffed and lit another cigarette, to take her mind somewhere else before heading back in to face Kenny, and eased against the wall, sliding her back down it until she was sitting on the floor. With her head buried in her arms, the tears didn't stop, she couldn't stop thinking about her parents and the rash decision that in the end took their lives, all just for her. She couldn't do anything but blame herself; "if i just got on the fucking plane then youd both still be here! i wouldn't be where I am!" She'd be off safe, with her parents, they'd probably be fighting and drunk but she'd be with them.

Her thoughts again, were cut off from the door being pushed open. She jumped and in panic, realised she left her knife inside, it was jabbing her when she squatted to pick rubble up. Luckily, it was just Kenny.

"There you are. Christ, you've been gone for like, an hour. Thought you'd did something stupid like run away." Kenny prodded. Then he noticed the amount of tears running down her face, the cigarette, and the panicked look on her face.

"Hey, hey what's with the water works? I felt like something's been bugging today." Kenny said, sitting down next to her. There was a moment of silence, interrupted only by Tammy's sniffing. "Look, I know that this probably isn't what would be called, an ideal situation. To be trapped by a militia in a bar with your dickhead of an ex-boyfriend; and Ill completely understand if you want me to go fuck myself for any reason, but just because I'm our ex, doesn't mean I won't listen." He put his hand on her shoulder for comfort. " Hell, you've been gone almost 2 and a half years, il listen to you talk about god damn show tunes if that's what you want to talk about." Of all things Tammy didn't understand, it was why Kenny didn't like anything singing and stage related, he said he even sang opera at one stage as a kid, but he refuses to say why he doesn't like it now. Another less awkward silence passed as she pondered on the subject.

"Well, if we are gonna sit here. Then do you mind if I nick a stick, and a light to go with it?" Tammy gave him a surprised look. She remembers almost going on a crusade to stop smoking when they stopped together, trying to get everyone to stop. I guess he did it to make it easier for her, so she wouldn't be tempted when others did, or so he wouldn't be.

Tammy gradually offered the pack, he took one she gave him the lighter, he lit it up with a puff of smoke. "God, I don't remember my last cancer stick. I can see why you came back to them now though. It's bliss, hellish bliss."

"Yeah, they help where they can." Tammy feebly replied, still drunk from sadness.

"So, are you gonna tell me why you've been out here for this long? From the amount of tears, I'd say it's something pretty big. You don't cry easy, that's something I've learned with my time with you."

"It's my life, it's gone to shit. Everything and everyone is gone and I just...Ken, I don't know how to keep going from here..." Tammy vaguely confessed. Kenny knew she was leaving details out, you don't just suddenly feel like this, of all people, he knew that.

"Tammy, I know things are unquestionably hard, I mean look around, it's hard to ignore, shit has without doubt hit the fan, but if do you remember what I said last night? I said that whatever happened that made us alone, that is in the past, because we're both not alone anymore. It might be tricky because of our history, but I think because we have a history, that it makes it better. Even if it had rough times, we both know each other. Being forced to live with your ex in a war, yeah, not high up the list of things sought after, but I know you, and I know that you, Tammy Warner, are one of the most strongest, reliable, even sweetest person that I know, and whatever's happened recently, whatever personal hell you've gone through and are yet to get through, I know you'll get through it, and even if you need re-assuring or a weird guy to talk to or even just to listen, I think I can be here for you, got not much of an choice, but that doesn't mean I don't want to be here to help. I don't know why you're back in South Park, what you've gone through in the past few years or even if you've changed who you are, that doesn't matter, because whatever it is and whatevers happened, I'm always going to stand by what I said last night, I mean it. We can't be alone if we have each other, you can trust me to be there, whenever you're ready to talk. I don't think we're going anywhere in a hurry."

Kenny's words were of a surprising comfort. They reminded her of what a gentle nurturing spirit Kenny can and has been, something she appreciated, especially now. Then an idea struck her.

"We should be though." She carelessly said.

"Wait we what? Ya gonna have to run that by me again." Kenny questioned, taking his last puff before standing and stamping it out

"We should be moving, onwards and out. It would do us good, we could move out to safety. There might be somebody out there, ready to get the hell out of this shithole." This is the most optimism Kenny had seen from the girl since they were reunited.

"Well alright, alright. What about this palace we just cleaned out? Where would we be going? Gotta think about these things. We can't just run off in a war zone. Besides what about our friends" Kenny might get behind this idea, but he be damned if he was leaving before finding Karen. "We got to stick around and look before we leave everyone behind."

"Oh, but Kenny, we can get out, get to safety. Even so, everyone would hate me now, and they have a right to. I abandoned them, Wendy would be furious with me, and the guys would hate me for leaving you and them." Tammy wasn't sold on the whole looking for survivors plan.

"Well, I'm sorry Tam, but it's something I have to do. There's no way in hell I'm leaving before we at least look." Kenny keeping his stern case, it was starting to piss Tammy off.

"Ok listen here; if I know I'm gonna be burned at the stake for coming ba-"Before Tammy could finish her argument. A rain of machine gunfire came from the alleyway to the street.

2 soldiers overheard this little tiff, and decided that they were in the right to put the pair down before they gave away location.

The first volley of shots fired, Kenny and Tammy jumped, Tammy hid behind leftover rubble and Kenny hugged the wall and drew his m1911 from his belt, and started to return fire. The soldiers begun to reload, from this he was able to take out one of the soldiers with a well aimed head shot. Yet he took out the wrong one, as the second soldier had already reloaded and Kenny had realised he was out of bullets his clip.

The bullets were flying back at them. Tammy made a break for the back door to retrieve her weapons. She wasn't quick enough. A bullet had hit her, Kenny didn't see where; all he saw was the red come out of Tammy and her falling to the ground. From a hit of adrenaline and mostly rage, Kenny reloaded and took 3 shots; one hit the soldier's knee, the other in his opposing shoulder, the last in the throat, through the jugular. He bled out by the time his body came to a halt from hitting the ground. After making sure the foot soldier wasn't getting back up, Kenny moved swiftly to Tammy.

"Tammy!?" He was in a dread, he saw the blood coming from her, but hadn't found where it was from yet.

"Ken?.. Leg..Check my.. leg." Shock had hit her and she was just about passed out from hitting her head on the floor, Kenny saw the blood trickle from her forehead where her head bounced off the pavement.

He checked her leg, the bullet had gone through the side of her right calf muscle, and he took his scarf and wrapped it around her leg tightly to apply as much pressure as possible. Luckily, the bullet had gone through completely, meant she wouldn't need surgery to walk again, just some time recuperating. He lifted her now unconscious body and kicked the door open; he was going to make sure she was alright. He needed to fix her wounds.

"I made a promise. I'll make sure you're going to be just fine."

* * *

 **Authors Note: OMGGG IM SORRY! I meant to get this chapter out yesterday, but then a blackout happened and i feel asleep. But its okay cause its the first thing im doing today. So yay. Anyways whaaat, Tammys been shot?! I know it crazy, how will this be resolved, will Kenny be able to take care of her? Will Tammy give up on everything?! Tune in next time on: Writing stuuuuuff. Thanks a ton for reading! Youre an amazing human bean, il update asap, have a splendid day!**


	5. Chapter 5: Hang in There

**A/N:** **Hoi gois, new chapter up for ya. Please Review!**

* * *

Kenny swiftly moved inside, Tammy was out cold and what worried him about that was her bullet wound; he saw the amount of blood that escaped the injury and he was frightened as all hell. Even before he wrapped up the leg, there was an extreme amount of blood that had escaped onto the cold hard concrete of the back alley, almost forming a pool.

He laid Tammy on the crappy bed, which will need new toilet paper after this, and quickly checked her breathing and heart rate. Her breathing was calm yet faint, and her heart beat was slow, Kenny never finished his nurse course, he couldn't tell if it was slowing down due to her unconscious or if blood was being lost too quickly. With this new fear weighing on his shoulders, he moved around to get behind the bar, under the sink he saw a first aid kit, he breathed a sigh of relief, it wasn't the most sophisticated kit, but it would do. On his run back to the bed he grabbed a bottle of vodka he saw on the back shelf.

"Ok, hang in there Tam, please for the love of God hang in there. Oh, I really hope I remember how to do this." Kenny was filled with adrenaline and anxiety, but for Tammy's sake, he forced calm over himself. He opened the first aid kit and inspected all utensils inside. There were a few components missing but nothing he couldn't improvise or needed.

He took off his belt and wrapped in at her thigh to slow circulation, he then un-wrapped his now red scarf, moving it to one side he began to roll up the bottom of her jeans to reveal the wound in the upper section of her calf.

When Kenny saw it, he was panicked yet at the same time relieved, he was right, the bullet went all the way through and it seemed the bullet just nicked her. It was a small chunk, nothing that would leave permanent damage, but it was big enough to leave a scar.

He kept her leg still and got to work cleaning it, there wasn't much he could really do otherwise. He took a number of the cotton buds out of the kit and poured a little vodka through them, and took a swig for himself. Alcohol calms him, and at the moment his heart was beating a mile a minute, he needed all the calming he could get.

Kenny moved the now sterile cotton around her wound, trying his damndest not to hit the wound directly or too much, it would probably be painful enough to wake her and then she'd go into shock, which was something he didn't want to deal with at the moment.

After the precision part was over, Kenny took another quick swig to rejoice, and he took bandages out of the first aid. Like many things in this bar, it wasn't the best quality, but it was better than using the bloodied scarf again, and bandages are bandages, as long as they didn't rip easy and were thick enough be practical, then they were good in Kenny's book.

Kenny started wrapping the bandage over Tammy's leg automatically. A number of times he had to wrap himself up was beyond comprehension, he could do it in his sleep at this point.

He thought with all his experience and skill with first aid and injuries (Mainly his own) he should think about nurse work. No one really saw it coming, but everyone understood, even if they didn't know why, guess they all had a subconscious feeling that Kenny and physical injuries and illness went hand in hand.

After he tied off the bandage, he took his belt back and put it back on, at that moment he remembered her fall. She hit her head pretty badly. Kenny moved up the bed and looked through Tammy's hair, checking for any crimson wet patches in her hair. He found a small wound on the top right side of her skull.

Kenny had no other tools then bandaids, cotton balls, bandages, a warm ice pack, scissors and a half bottle of vodka. All he'd be able to do for her at the moment is clean up the wound and pray for no infection after that.

"Well fuck. You're gonna want a shower now aren't you..." Kenny mumbled, knowing now he would have to find something to wash with. He began swabbing at the head wound; again being careful to not get too much directly in the wound, but with all the hair it was hard. He heard her slightly wince in her unconscious state, but showed no signs of waking soon. "Well this proves it, if I had stitches and needles; her being asleep would more than enough antistatic to seal a wound." Kenny chuffed, knowing full well if she heard that, she wouldn't trust him being around when she's sleeping ever again.

After the 'surgery', Kenny ran his hands through Tammy's hair, absent minded checking for other injuries; he didn't take his eyes off her. He wanted to make sure she was ok.

However, noises from out the back caught his attention. Gingerly leaving Tammy's side, he grabbed his pistol and moved to the back door, carefully. He vigilantly moved to the door and overheard talking.

"Here they are, Christ, someone got to them." Said one voice.

"Oh damn, check out Samson, he got executed, one through the knee, shoulder then head. What a way to go." Said another with a southern accent, they must have been soldiers of the Rebellion.

"Question is, who did it?"

"I don't know; reckon it was that elite government scouting squad? I done hear they take out anyone if they come across them, without leaving nothing behind." The news of elite scouts stuck out to Kenny. 'Scouts that execute anyone on sight? That sounds like bad news.'

"That's just a myth, I highly doubt they actually exist, even so, look at Samson for proof. If they're so elite, why'd it take them 3 bullets? It might've just been a regular gov recon squad, which isn't good either. C'mon, let's look around." The very words Kenny was praying would never come, his heart began to race.

The sun was beginning to set, and at this time of day has the littlest commotion, if gunshots were fired, especially so close to a base, they wouldn't be so easily dismissed. Kenny tried to calm and readied himself for the inevitable.

"Wait... If it was a recon squad, shouldn't we take these guys back to base and tell them what happened? They could have their eyes on us this second, and we wouldn't done know." Kenny misjudged these guys. That was actually fairly smart, he was also very thankful for that, it probably just saved his and Tammy's lives.

"Yeah, that's true, good thinkin pardner. Let's go." Kenny heard a few grunts of them picking up corpses and climbing over the debris in the alley.

Kenny peeked out the door left open by him earlier, they were gone, and so were the bodies, he could only hope they don't come back. He closed the door carefully and blocked it by moving an oven in the way. He then moved back into the main bar area, seeing the vibrant sunset colours from looking up through the hole, he also felt the cold air begin to seep in. From the corner of his eye, he saw Tammy shiver.

"Nope, fuck that." Kenny shot down his inner voice of courtesy, it was a kill or be killed, but he made the mistake of looking over at her, he saw her face scrunched up, shivering cold. 'Loss of blood will do that.' His inner voice reminding him of what she's been through today; 'not even just through today, you saw how on edge she was, when you were tied to the chair, something big happened to her.'

"Arrrrg! God damn it fine." He said taking off his orange hoodie, leaving him in only his black undershirt in the dropping temperature. "Always been a heat needer, remember we couldn't leave to go out without you clinging to me for warmth." He reminisced with her sleeping form as he laid the hoodie blanket onto her, wasn't much, but it definitely helped. She pulled it closer to her and turned over.

"Yeah, that seems about right. Give you something and you take it and run." Kenny couldn't help but chuckle a little. He moved over to the bar and got a bottle of bourbon.

"Fuck. Was kinda hoping for whiskey, well it'll have to do." Kenny wasn't the biggest fan of bourbon, but he didn't hate it, in the end, he didn't have much of an option. He planned on leaving the rest of the vodka as a disinfectant for wounds and cuts for late down the road.

He pulled a chair over to near the bed, got a side table with a candle on it and moved it across from the bed and placed the table in the middle.

"Eh, fuck it, why not. Can't say I'm not a classy guy." He moved over to the table just before he sat down, and lit the candle with Tammy's lighter to add a form of light, after that he helped himself to one of Tammy's cigarettes.

"Damn Tam, I was doing so well with this 'til you came back. Wonder when you started this habit again." Kenny asked, not expecting a response, as he sat down and opened the bourbon. Pouring himself a glass and having a generous mouthful, he began thinking.

"Y'know... When you left, God I'm going to sound like such an ass, well I guess that's cause I was, but I didn't know until a week later, anytime someone tried to tell me I'd just tell them to say nothing, because I was an idiot and I didn't want to hear anything about you. Then about a week later, people had given up trying to tell me or assumed I already knew, and on that night I drank a little too much of this stuff" He picked up the bottle, then proceeded took another generous portion. "And I remember calling you, with my crappy ass phone, what I don't remember was why. It's obvious even if you were still around you weren't gonna pick up but, I guess for some reason I was determined. Then, cause you didn't pick up, I stumbled over to your place, thinking that was a good idea, and started banging on the door, I don't really know what I was thinking, because if your dad saw me, after the shit that I pulled, id probably end up with a hole in my head from a shotgun blast rather than your attention." Kenny chuckled to himself. "Then I think I broke in through the back door because the front was locked, went through the kitchen into the hallway in search of your room and twisted the door knob..." Kenny thought back to how he felt that night. "I remember being heartbroken, I walked in, hoping to see you and... and nothing. It was an empty room."

Kenny sat in silence; taking mouthfuls of spirit out of his glass before filling it back up while watching Tammy rest. As Kenny drank more, the less control of his mouth he had. "...I've told myself before; there are only 2 people I'd permanently die for. Obviously the first is Karen and the second is yo-"He cut himself off, changing the subject to the former. "Just as a side note every time I think about her, I think about where she is right now... how scared she must be... How much she needs someone. Yet here I am with you somehow." Kenny's drinks were getting the better of him.

Another thick silence clouded the room; gunfire echoing through the streets. He looked up to the sky, the moon.

"Remember when we were little" Kenny kept talking of memories to the sleeping girl "The first time we went out? Way back in elementary, God I was a dick back then. I didn't realise how good you'd be to me back then. I'll be brutally honest, I was only going out with you because you were smoking hot, but the longer we went out the more and more I realised that, you were one of the most beautiful souls that walked this earth. You took care of me; you looked out for whatever you thought was best for me. No one's ever done that for me before. I've always just been a background character to everyone and I accepted that. Suddenly outta nowhere, you show up..." Kenny couldn't help but smile in his drunken state, he didn't realise it but he had finished ¾ of the bottle at this point. "You show up and I only saw you for a body, but then... I dunno, something clicked, It must've..." There was a pause, and then Kenny laughed.

"Do you remember that time, in like 6th grade or whatever, that you pushed me out of the way of that speeding bike and fractured your ankle?" Kenny went silent "And I was holdin back tears as you were laughing through the pain telling me it was fine? You were in a cast for like a month 'n a bit. I remember hating myself so much, I thought I had failed you. I was able to take the bullet for everyone else but when it came down to it, I couldn't even save you when it came down to it. Ever since that day, I swore to keep my eye on you. To keep you safe. To protect you from my cursed body. You don't deserve this kind of life. Having to put yourself in danger to keep me safe constantly because of who I am... Something about having you around. It makes me want to be a better person, and I fucked that up catastrophically last time, and I regretted my actions every day since you left... For so long I wished you'd come back, to show you I've become better, I've changed from the dickhead that left you so hurt last time. I'm going to show you as well." Kenny then, making sure the precious bottle was upright and safe, began to close his eyes.

* * *

Tammy woke up in a fright, a mouse on her neck quickly scampered off after she moved frantically to get it off.

"Christ!... Pfft, and Ken thinks I didn't wake up for a collapsing building. Ain't nothin getting past me. Huh?" She looked down at herself, she had a blanket? Since when? She lifted it up to see it was Kenny's hoodie.

"Wha? Wait where's?!..." She panicked as she realised Kenny wasn't in the bed. Suddenly her head started getting dizzy and she rested it in her hands.

"Uhh, what happened...?" She realised it was night from the handy hole in the roof and the sheer darkness around. She rubbed her temples to get her brain back in gear.

"It wasn't night before, was it? Ok think Tammy. I was outside, smoking...Ken came out...We talked about...something then...Oh no!" She realised the last thing she remembered, they were being shot at and went she running for the door to get her weapons, then nothing. "Oh Jesus, KE-Ahh!" She tried to swing her leg over off the side of the bed, when suddenly a sharp pain rocketed up her leg. She inspected the source to find bandages wrapped neatly and tightly around her calf.

"Did I get shot?" Tammy needed answers, just as she was about to yell for Kenny, she noticed the table next to her, with a smoking melted candle wick and across from that was Kenny, slumped in a chair, he seemed to be out cold. "But from what?...Ohh that'd do it. You're a dumbass, Ken." She couldn't help but laugh quietly at him, with a near empty bottle of bourbon.

She knew he could drink, but she also knew he would only drink in moderation, only so much in a day. She somehow remembered that, and it comforted her in knowing that he hadn't become a drunk like both their fathers.

"Thought ya didn't like bourbon that much... Maybe you've expanded your taste, or maybe you accepted whatever liquid comfort ya could find." She fell back onto the bed. She kind of wished he passed out next to her, for the warmth he emitted of course. She turned over, minding her new injury's and stared at Kenny.

Since he gave her his hoodie, he was left in a black t-shirt, arms fallen to the side of the chair and his slumped, with his head leaning to one side, mouth agape. She couldn't help but giggle at the sight, he just looked so silly.

"How can one guy be so heart warming and generous wrapped in goofiness sometimes, and then other times go off and do stupid bullshit like you did? It's just when I thought I got a perfect understandin' of you. You change, but now that I'm back, it just looks like you reverted back into the brave goofy jokester hero..." This got Tammy thinking, keeping a good grasp of the hoodie.

Just before they started dating last time, the reason they started dating is because Tammy saw he'd become, well Kenny. She couldn't really describe it any other way, a nice, loving, generous soul, who tried his damndest to make everyone smile. Even if it killed him. Then something happened in high school, he became distant, negligent to her. It hit her like a wall.

"Is it me...? Am I the problem with you? Am I the reason you become less you...?" Tammy felt strangely gutted, like she didn't think the news would hit her this hard for some reason. She felt she was the issue of why the man before her, became less him.

"Then il have to make sure that doesn't happen, no matter what. The world could use Kenny McCormick's cheery smile right now, especially me. Don't worry, Ken. It doesn't matter how much I want the opposite to happen, I won't change you again..."

* * *

 **Authors Note:** **Boom diggity, another chapter done and dusted. Im hoping for things to start getting more action packed now, yknow with the bang bang and pew pew.. im kinda tired. If you couldnt tell. But yeah! Thanks for reading and reviewing! (hopefully) and i hope to see you in the next chapter!Have a tremendous day!**


	6. Chapter 6: Leaving Memories Behind

This morning was a rare occurrence, something that hadn't happened since the war began; A silent dawn. No gunfire, no skirmishes, no bombardments, it seemed no one dared any stratagem last night or at the break of sunlight. Just silence over the mountainous town. It was a morning for everyone to regroup and breathe.

Tammy, despite her rather rude awakening from a mouse last night and being injured from a gunfight, had gotten the best sleep she's had for a week. Yet while she was well rested, she could only distressed from her train of thought from her brief time of thinking last night.

She turned over in her semi-blood soaked bed.

"We're really gonna need an actual mattress, or just anything better than this." Tammy moaned, trying to fix her back and crack it into place. She didn't particularly like Kenny's attempt at a bed, but she knew he put effort into it, and it's the best they had.

She sat up slowly, carefully as to not throw her head into disarray again, and looked at the man in question. Kenny was knocked out from his own festivities last night. Tammy was still able to smell the alcohol from where she sat, or maybe it was from her disinfectant. Tammy, now in a better mind condition since her half-asleep state, inspected her bandaged leg again, to try and learn more about it, since she had time to kill while she waited for Kenny to reboot.

"Sonavabitch" She winced as she traced her finger around the bandage, trying to identify how big the wound was, and failing. In the end she wanted to know the condition of her leg, and she knew that Kenny probably wouldn't wake up any time soon. She started undoing the bandage, being careful to not pull to hard or too quickly.

"Well, fuck. I mean, fuck." Tammy was rather shell shocked about the semi circle in the side of her calf. After she removed the last of the bloodied bandages, she saw the small circle on the higher left side of her calf missing. She didn't know what she was expecting, but it still left her fairly breathless and light headed. She ran a hand through her hand through her hair and winced when she got to a scabbed cut.

"Where in hell did that come from?" she grimaced. What she needed wasn't another injury, especially one on the head. She felt around her body to see if she had any other random cuts or bruises.

At this time, the sun had gotten high enough in the sky to start piercing through the hole in the roof, and into Kenny's face. To him, it was as if God was sending him a message to wake up.

Kenny very reluctantly opened an eyelid to see what the blinding light was, and then very willingly yet subtly opened both his eyes, just enough to see out of, but still look like he was asleep, to see Tammy, feeling around her body. Kenny didn't know what this was for or why she was doing it, but he hadn't had one complaint. She moved her hands up her shirts, lifting it a little for him to see her trademark belly button piercing. A wave of good memories flooded back from seeing that, from her in a bikini in Starks Pond, or her in less than a bikini, in one of their beds.

His good thoughts were grounded as Tammy grimaced with pain, sending all her touching and his thoughts out and the real world back in. Kenny was then hit by an avalanche of discomfort, starting with a minor headache and a burning desire to get his eyes out of the sunlight. Luckily Kenny handled hangovers very well, they usually disappear about 5-10 minutes after he wakes up from a heavy nights drinking, and he thanks his Irish blood every time.

Another agonised groan from Tammy brought Kenny's attention back; Tammy was holding her injured leg. She accidently rubbed the wound against an apron on the bed, cause a sharp sting and for the clotted blood to break, causing slight bleeding. He also noticed her hand hadn't left where the cut on her head was. Kenny started getting up to help.

"The cuts from when you fell over, you bounced your head pretty hard against the floor. I'm kinda surprised you weren't out cold after that. Lucky you were strong enough to say 3 or so words though; you told me where the bullet hit." Kenny stated, moving toward where he left the first aid to retrieve the bandages.

"Well good morning to you too." She said flatly. "And did I? I don't remember anythin after I started runnin. You sure it was me?" Tammy said, moving herself upright to make it easier for Kenny to replace the bandages.

"Well, imma say yes it was you, cause who else would know, and who else was there?" Kenny responded, moving over to her leg. He inspected to wound, no sign of infection, and besides the slight bleeding caused by her brush up with an apron in the short time it was off, it was holding up rather well.

Kenny tried putting on the bandage, but to get it around fully was awkward in the position he was in. To solve the problem, he lifted her right leg up onto his left shoulder. Leaving him between her legs, this was met with a crossed arms and a stare that could kill small woodland critters from Tammy.

Kenny sheepishly looked her. "What? It's not like I haven't been in this position before." Kenny tried to make the situation more tolerable. This effort was met with a swift slap to the face.

"Ow! Alright, alright fair enough, but I gotta get the bandage on and this is the easiest way to do it. God knows how I managed last time." This made Tammy think, she was out cold last time he did it. Did he do the same thing then?

Kenny saw Tammy seemed distracted by something so he quickly grabbed the vodka and dabbed another fluff of cotton and moved it gingerly around the wound, accidently hitting the edge of the redness.

"OW! Fuck, man! That stings." She jumped as Kenny finished, wrapping up her leg and tied it off.

"Sorry, it's harder than it looks. There, binding is good as new. The Royal Kenny hospital signing off." Kenny joked, standing up and started packing up everything from last night.

Tammy giggled, which made Kenny smile as he put the bourbon back on the shelf and threw away the old bandages, maybe the reason for the giggle is her state, waking up after being shot would have to do something to your head, not to mention blood loss. He then moved to the now, more or less, cleared centre of the bar area, under the hole and twirled.

"See? Yesterday was good for somethin. We cleaned so much rubble and now have so much room for activities! Like ballroom dancing." Kenny then mimicked a posh man, moving side to side with a surprising amount of dignity, well surprising for a poor guy sarcastically dancing.

"Well, as much as I'd hate to interrupt your first dance with, 'Miss Right'... hand." Kenny rolled his eyes at the jerk off joke. At least he knew she was in a better mood. She was starting to act more like the girl he knew. "But the reason we were in yesterday was because you said we may as well cause of that camp down the road. They still there or are you gonna have to read me fairy tales." Tammy raised a good point; if they were gone he could go out hunting for supplies. They only had 2 prepared meals in the kitchen left, and they would need to be eaten sooner rather than later, and Tammy only got enough food for her until a 2 days, and that will needed to be split into 2. Plus they could use a shovel to clear away rocks and smaller debris.

"That's a good point, lemme check. I'm gonna have to continue this dance later, m'lady." He kissed his right hand and spun on the spot and walked toward the front door, as Tammy exhaled a laugh and laid back down, waiting for Kenny to check. Tammy's continued happy mood, sent Kenny to cloud 9. To see her so stressed and miserable before, it was good to see her smiling.

Kenny got to the front door, opened it gently and poked his head out, and looked down the street in the direction of the camp. What he saw wasn't what he was expecting, but it could be seen as good news.

"Well, shit. I mean that's something. Hope retaliation isn't too bad..." Kenny said, looking over to the camp, littered with the bodies of the few that were stationed there. It seemed they didn't have a chance with the amount of bullet holes around the area. Kenny moved back inside.

"So? Are they gone?" Tammy questioned.

"I mean, yeah, in a matter of speaking. Looks like there was a skirmish last night sometime and, yeah. They're dead." Kenny said, looking troubled.

"Oh, well. I mean yeah I guess they are really gone huh?"

"If they had a gunfight, with that many people. How didn't we wake up for it?" Kenny asked, concerned. If neither of them woke up, then how are they gonna defend the bar once it is broken into at night. They weren't going anywhere with Tammy's leg. They would need a plan.

Tammy didn't say anything; she was too shy to say something. She realised last night when she woke up, the mouse was only partially the reason of waking up, well, mostly the reason she woke up, but she knew she was riled up due to the gunfire of that fight. Kenny was still sleeping off the alcohol.

"We're gonna have to sleep in shifts. Due to your leg, it'll have to me to stay up. You need to rest up to help your leg." Kenny suddenly said in a commanding tone. "We need to stay safe, I was stupid and justified my sleep on the fact I'm a light sleeper and il get up for any break in, but this proves me wrong though."

Tammy wanted to say something, but what would she say? Why would she overthrow the idea? She's been sleeping without a guard, and that's what kept her up when she was alone. She liked the idea, but she didn't want Kenny to tackle the responsibility single handed.

"Ok, it's a good idea, but I can look out too! Just cause I'm injured doesn't mean I can't keep an eye out." Tammy argued she wanted to help; she didn't want to be the girl who needed defending.

"Tammy, I know you wanna help, and you're amazing for volunteering, but you need rest and sleep. Your heads all dazed and your leg is wounded." Kenny rationalised, he didn't want her to have to worry about him, not again, not like she always had to.

"Ken, I'm strong enough to point a gun and pull a trigger. Hey, I'll prove i can sit upright and look at a door, go out today. Go hunting for supplies and I'll stay here and watch the fort. I'll shoot anyone who tries to take anything." Tammy knew that was unlikely, but she still wanted to show Kenny that he didn't have to become her defender, she liked him as the comedian, it suited him.

"Tam...I don't know..." Kenny was hesitant.

"Believe me, Kenneth. I can do it." She stated in a very serious tone. Sheused his full name. He hates it when she did that. The only time she did was when she was pissed to all hell, or if she had a valid point and he knew it. Luckily, for him, she was the latter.

"Alright, but I'll be back soon! I'm gonna get ready." Kenny stood, moving toward the bar, gathering his rifle and knife.

Slinging the rifle over his back and sheathing his knife, while subconsciously checking his holster to see if his gun was missing.

"Alright, I'll try and be as quick as I can." Kenny didn't want to leave her alone too long, he knew the longer he was gone, the more chance of intrusion grew.

"Well, before you go, can you hand me my guns?" Tammy said prudently. "Kinda hard to defend myself if my guns on the other side of the room and I have a fucked leg."

"Well, shit. I'm an idiot." Kenny said dumbfounded. He picked up her pistols and handed them over to her, with a hint of humiliation.

"Thanks sweet cheeks. Now get." Tammy said, taking the guns and surprising herself with her playfulness.

"Ok, I'll be back soon. Stay safe..." Kenny, partially taken aback from Tammy's comment about his cheeks, exited the base. Checking both sides of the street to ensure that no troops were around. After the quick check, he swiftly moved across the road, into an alley, thinking about his area, he knew the town layout well, well enough to keep his bearings.

Kenny took a deep breath, he was out again. Out in the smoke filled air, out into the world of kill or be killed. Something in the back of his head kept him on the calm, happier side, and that something was the fact he had somewhere to go at the end of the day, and someone.

Kenny broke back into reality; the first gunshots of the day were coming from the south of him. He decided to make a game plan. He decided to use this time to look for Karen, he knew this was his priority, he knew she was still out there, she had to be. He'd look for provisions and supplies where he thought were prosperous and he'd be back before the end of the sunset. Those were his goals.

He decided to begin wondering. He remembered that the night before the bombings, Karen was less than reluctant to leave their house, let alone their town.

* * *

"But we cant go!" Karen stated, crossing her arms on the couch, her mind made up. Kenny, sitting on the arm of the couch and their mother standing in front of them, Dad was off at a rebellion rally and Kevin was God knows where. Since tensions began rising around the country and everyone was split into 2 sides, Kevin just vanished one day, no one had seen him since.

"Sweetheart, I know, and if it were up to me, here is where'd we'd stay too, but it's just not safe." Her mother said, she didn't want to explain the full situation to her. Those sorts of things shouldn't have to be on the minds of 14 year olds, Kenny agreed with that.

The McCormick's were one of the last family's to make up their mind about their position, wether to stay, evacuate or abandon everything and escape the country, everyone else had either evacuated to a safety camps out of the way and at the base of the mountains, or leave the country for safer shores as refugees and immigrants. Not many decided the latter as no one truly knew where the country was going.

"I don't care! Are we just gonna leave because we're scared?! I thought you told me to stand for up against fear, Kenny!" She suddenly directed the topic to Kenny and his thoughts on the matter.

"Well, Karen. This is one of those things which is out of our control, y'know? There's times to stand up to fear, then there are other times where it becomes a lack of common sense. I think we should listen to mum. It's not safe here, kiddo. I'm sorry, but we're looking out for each other and that includes doing the tough option sometimes." And the fact there's gonna potentially be a bomb raid. She doesn't need to know that though, she'd be filled with fear.

"But I don't want to leave home. I don't want to leave all my memories behind." This is gonna be harder then Kenny thought.

"Well, you won't. No matter what happens to this place or where you go and who you don't see tomorrow, their always gonna be with you, as long as you think about them, because if you think about them they'll be with you until you see them again, you understand?" Kenny summarised

"...But what if I never see them again?" Karen whispered.

"That's something you'll have to brave about. Sometimes things happen that's out of our control, but that doesn't mean we can't try and change that. Karen, I want you to promise me to never give up." She still seemed a little shaken. "Ok, I'll make a promise to you then, I promise that even if I lose sight of you during this, I will see you again, I'll find you. That's something I'll make sure happens."

She seemed to perk up a little, the fact that Kenny was so confident and so sure of himself, even though he was scared stiff. 'Why would he lie about this?' She thought. She hugged Kenny, knowing the next few days of moving will be tough, especially without most of her loved ones.

Kenny hugged Karen, he was afraid, for her sake more than himself. With everything happening and with unseen events coming he was scared for her safety. He knew he'd keep his promise, but he shuddered at the thought of being separated from her for a minute. She was going to need him, for anything big happening, and leaving home, potentially forever, and maybe not even seeing his or her friends again. This was big. Bigger than anything that's happened before in this town's history.

Then he heard it, aeroplanes getting louder and louder, and as Kenny begun to separate himself from Karen; the town raid siren began.

* * *

Kenny shook his head, getting himself away from the memory before it began hurting too much. He had to find Karen, that's all he knew he had to do, and no war, or surprise return from his ex was going to detour him, no matter how distracting or how much that hurts him. He made a promise, and he'll be damned if he doesn't keep it.

Kenny continued through the streets undetected, praying to find his precious sister soon, and in one piece.

* * *

Tammy was trying her best to move without pain. So far, progress was practically non existent.

"Gah! Alright, fine. I'll take Kenny's stupid advice. I'll just lay here and do nothing..." Tammy said, defeated and in slight pain. "How could I let this happen, shouldn't have been so stupid and stayed put. Wouldn't have this stupid bullet hole."

She laid there for another hour, thinking about how she had been shot, her situation, who she's with, and what could happen from here. She thought of the many different roads her story could go from here, how long this hell will continue. For reasons she couldn't explain, a tear ran from her eye. Maybe it was from the sheer amount of emotion and all the different chemicals running through her mind. She lay there, and for what seemed to be for the first time in her life, she felt insignificant. That she could nothing to help anyone or put an end to this conflict or make a stand against the oppressors

She was thankful she ran into Kenny, even if she had the idea to butcher him. He has been a serious comfort in their short time together, besides without him and his sense of honour, she'd be out the back, dead from blood loss. Anyone else might've stolen her things and bolted.

Before she knew it, she felt her eyelids getting heavier and heavier. She dreamt of her, Kenny and other people she couldnt quite make out. They were all at Starks pond and celebrating, having a picnic, playing music and Kenny stupidly dancing, which made Tammy laugh. Then Kenny stopped and had a serious face, he ran over to Tammy, everyone seemed to disapear. He grabbed her by the shoulders and said one word, 3 syllabuls, then he was shot through the head. She was in shock, she panicked, and realised what he said.

"Remember."

A few hours later she jumped awake to a noise. She knew she fell asleep from the handy hole in the roof, because to her, the sun was about perfecty above, shining a light straight down, and now, there was no sun to be seen, and the sky was a combination of blue with slight orange, and her weird dream.

Before she could analyze the dream,she noticed the door, that's where the noise came from, and it was being opened. Sh was praying it was Kenny, but not wanting to take chances, she moved her hands frantically, trying to find her gun while keeping her eyes trained on the door.

The door swung open.

They weren't Kenny.

* * *

"What are we going to do?! We can't stay here! You heard the rumours! We know they're true!"

"Dude, calm down! Look, we'll gather people we know and any supplies we can muster up and then we can run. Do you want to leave people behind? We already lost Kenny." A heavy silence fell around the group from the name. The three boys were silently arguing in the rescue centre, if anyone else heard of their ideas, they'd be reported for sure, and no one has seen someone after been brought in from a report, they'd rather not take the chance.

"Okay, I know this place has beaten confidence and blood out of us, but that's more reason to get out. I know If were caught running, that we 'look like we're going to join forces with the treacherous scum' and we'll be gunned down-"

"Great motivational speaking, asshole." The third boy scoffed, while the second rolled his eyes.

"Oh shut up, fatass. You're one of the reasons we're here. We could have been scouts for the government, but no, someone here is too scared to leave the camp." The second retorted.

"AY! I wasn't scared! Just makes sense to stay in safety is all." The bigger of the 3 defended.

"Right, and so I'm not representing my country against this rebellion because?"

"Guys! We cant be arguing now. We have a plan, were gonna see it through and we're gonna get everyone we know out safe, before they have to start thinning out the numbers." The first one argued, Whether they were rumours or not, they needed to get out. Beatings were routine due to the short temper of the guards being stuck on babysitting duty. The word going around of people being put down to preserve supplies was reason enough to think about getting out, let alone them being confirmed.

"What about the little McCormick bitch? She's just going to be annoying as all shit." Droned the heaviest.

"Of course we're taking her, aren't we?" The tallest questioned the first boy

"Of course we are. It's what Kenny would want. I'll be killed before we're leaving her here." The raven haired man said.

"Well that can be arranged, cockmaster." The heaviest snickered

"We're taking her, and everyone we can muster, and we're getting out of here and out of South Park, safely. Or my name isn't Stan Marsh."

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 **Authors Note:** **OMG! The rest of the boys are comin in, dawg! It gonna be hella sick. Not sure if this is late or not but it felt it so here it is. Havent really got a schedule, just write when i have free time and when ambition strikes. Which it hit pretty hard this chapter, im excited for the next few. But yeah! The 3 other boys are in the picture and their in a rescue camp, with Karen? Will have to read to find out, who knows where she is. Anyways, hoped you enjoy reading, took a bit but i got there. Enjoy your day! See you next time, frands!**


	7. Chapter 7: Follow the plan!

**Authors Note: Hol-y shit... Guys im so sorry for the huge ass delay on this chapter, i just had a ton on my plate to balance these past months, but i pushed through a night and finally got around to getting this done, im tired AF, but if i can upload this chapter, i feel it was worth. Oh!Also thank you so much to those who reviewed! Its what encouraged me to get this done! So thankk you so much to Smarvin, thank you to Neerow & Thank you to Guest, i suppose, you guys are really what made me do this chapter. Ok enough of me blabbing, heres the chapter, over 30 minutes late so delivery is free.**

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Kenny was on the return from his day mission, coming home with mundane supplies and resources, a quiet day of scavenging, not another soul to see, besides the soldiers little escapades nearby, yet Kenny was able to stay out of sight.

Throughout the day, Kenny couldn't help but worry just a little over Tammy's wellbeing. Her being left alone in a warzone, with trigger happy soldiers and merciless looters, with an injured leg. Doesn't invoke the most confidence in Kenny, yet the only thing that's made him keep his composure and not run back during the course of the day, was that Tammy was one determined bitch, for lack of a better word. She kicked ass and she wasn't afraid to show it, always showing strength and determination at the most futile of times, if trouble found her, she could take care of it, or at least he prayed that was the case, it was when they were dating, he doesn't remember winning one argument when they were together.

He stopped in an alley, out of sight, to check his score for that day as when he was gathering supplies, he wasn't exactly looking at what he was grabbing, doing it subconsciously to devote more attention to defending his own ass. He was able to masterfully manipulate his way into a supermarket on the skirts of the town, i.e. he kicked the back door until it gave way. He also went through the remaining supplies of a hardware store, looking for wood, nails and a drill, for building purposes, also to look for melee weapons, in case things got dicey. Kenny had the basic know how of woodworking thanks to shop class, (While maintaining his place in home economics, so he could make the hell out of a soufflé should the occasion arise) but something he didn't remember was how heavy wood was, he had to drop a good amount in a dumpster next to him to get later.

"Alright, enough food to let 2 people to survive for a comfortable amount of time, enough water for a bit, if we aren't stupid with it and a crap ton of wood, a crowbar, a fuckin sledgehammer and 2 bags to carry all this shit." He was chuffed with his new found sledgehammer, giving it a few swings, getting himself use to the weight distribution and its feel. That's when he heard a click behind him.

"It's a nice haul you got there; I think I'll take it off your hands, sounds heavy with all the useful things." Kenny recognised the voice but could pinpoint the face that it belonged to, raising his hands, forgetting to place the sledgehammer down and slowly turning around. He was met by Kevin Stoley, standing a few metres away, armed with a revolver aimed straight at Kenny's torso from the look of it. "Damn, the famous Kenny McCormick looking down the barrel of my gun, past me would be very jealous. I thought you would've jumped town like all the rest." Kevin almost taunted from the trigger end.

"Yeah, well not everyone has unfinished business I suppose, it's a hell of a story I'm willing to tell if you put the gun down and turn around." Kenny said slightly hopefully, only getting a scoff in return. "What you planning on doing, Kevin?" Kenny nonchalantly replied, slowly moving his grip higher up the sledgehammer.

"Shoot your fucking brains out and take that treasure for myself, it's called survival." Kevin kept Kenny in sights, eyeing the sledgehammer briefly, figuring a gun beats a melee from the distance

"It's called being barbaric." Kenny shot back, fixating the sledge in his hands "Murdering for supplies makes you no better than the soldiers shooting us down in cold blood. We're supposed to maintain a moral high ground, like actual humans, we can fight against them and win. We can't do that murdering each other like animals." Kevin slightly lowered his gun.

A moment of silence blew between the alleyways, broken only by an explosion in the distance.

"Nah, fuck that." Kevin raised the gun, but Kenny thought quicker, swinging and lobbing the sledge hammer at Kevin, it only hit his shin, causing him to pull the trigger, shooting the ground but that was plenty distraction as Kenny sprinted over, tackling Kevin, who put his hand out grabbing Kennys hood, as they hit the ground; the gun fired.

Kenny felt a warm liquid splatter covering his face, staining his now loose blonde hair. The tension in the air died, along with Kevin, the gun being pointed up in the tackle and discharging up through Kevin's head. Kenny rolled off the fresh corpse in slight shock.

"Well... Not exactly how I wanted it to go down. I'm sorry...Kevin." He stood over Kevin's paling body, not bothering wiping the blood off his face. He bent down and picked up the gun, adding it to his loot for the day.

He knew he had to move now, if the argument hadn't caught attention, a gunshots would have brought interest in the area. He gathered the plunder and high tailed it across the street, as he was about to continue down road, soldiers moved swiftly down the walkway, forcing Kenny to quickly hide behind a corner, hoping he hadn't been seen. The soldiers investigated the alley.

"Looks like another savage mugging."

"Geez, these people are monsters, innocent guys walking down trying to get back to wherever the fuck these rats hide, and then he gets shot down. These 'survivors', never trust them. They don't even trust themselves."

"Roger that!"

"The soldiers spread out and started returning to their posts.

"Fuckwits..." Kenny cursed under his breath. He started moving back to the bar.

He began heading back, making sure to avoid the soldiers post doing so, worried whether he'd act on his urge to pull a gun on the two, he figured he'd probably lose that fight, so he let his brain make the decision instead of his adrenaline. Once he made it back, he noticed a grim detail.

The door. It was open. Kenny's heart plummeted to the pits of his stomach.

"Oh shit..." Kenny's breath got knocked out of him. "Oh shit." He sprinted to the door. "Oh shit! I shouldn't have left her alone! I should've stayed, what have done!" Once he made it to the door, he threw the bags down at the door and unsheathed his Colt pistol, and kicked the door more open, and was surprised of what he found.

2 bodies, on the floor, gunshots through the head and torso, with Tammy, reading a bartenders recipe book without interest on the bed where Kenny left her, she looked up surprised by the sudden intrusion, hand on her gun, yet breathed a sigh of relief and went back to reading.

"Hope you got a mop on your trip out, _darling_. I made a bit of a mess." Tammy mocked, keeping focused on the book.

Kenny, more than a little taken back and very relieved, sheathed his gun and stared at Tammy.

"...They weren't you and they saw me an easy target, sure they regret it now, y'know if they could... What?" She stated, looking over at Kenny when she noticed he hadn't stopped looking at her.

"You're crazy y'know that right?. Like, Wha...How?.. why did-" Kenny said trying to maintain a single sentence, almost looking worried for her.

"Apapapapapap, shush. You don't need to know. What you do need to know is, I'm here and they're not." She cut Kenny off, pointing at the intruders with her foot as her hands were holding precious reading material. "Now, what did you find?" She asked, putting the recipes to the side and sitting up as if she just remembered Kenny was out for the day.

Kenny chuckled and brought in the bags, revealing the treasures he found that day; "Well, got enough food to last them a week, 2 if we do a weightwatchers program, A few bottles of water and all this building equipment and a crowbar, and this bad boy." Revealing the sledgehammer.

"Well, shit. That's alright as hauls go. Could've probably done with more food but I won't complain, not like I could've done better...Also what are you gonna do with all the wood n shit?" Tammy asked rather to the point.

"I was gonna fortify the place a little better, because with your leg I don't suppose we're going anywhere anytime soon and this place is..." Kenny paused to find a word, as a pipe fell from the roof, narrowly missing Kenny. "Well, it's cosy and needs some love. I was gonna barricade the windows and build a security bar across the door, so y'know, people can't barge in without lifting it off." He explained, confident about his future projects. "Have to develop a secret knock, like a cool kids clubhouse or something."

"Yeah, ok. I'm excited for that. How goes the new bed situation?" Tammy asked.

"...Um. Yeah about that... I kinda forgot." Kenny admitted the fact he had to make a new bed that wasn't dissolvable completely slipped his mind.

"..." Tammy stared back at Kenny in a complete look of unamusement, almost expecting him to laugh and say he was joking, but that never came. "Well, I get the more intact side."

"A'ight, fair enough, just gotta figure out with what to start repairing now... I should start my own home improvement show." Kenny joked. "Yeah I'm sure you'll be the highest demanding show. Also, just a quick question"

"Yeah?"

"Why does it look like you were around an exploding ketchup bottle?"

The rumours spread like wildfires throughout the 'Sanctuary.' The very idea of a rumour about a culling to reduce the camps population to preserve rations and supplies was enough to drive everyone to the edge of chaos, camp site residents in fear of every passing guard and the thought that any second could be when the guards snap.

"Look, whenever we're planning of getting the fuck out of here, advance it to yesterday! We need to get the fuck outta here. Now!" Cartman exclaimed in Stan's unchanging neutral face.

With tensions pressed to breaking point, pressure was building to get them out of the camp ASAP.

"We can't dude! We still need to bring the people were getting out up to speed. Our families, friends, and Kenny's people." Stan replied.

"Can you forget the poor faggots? We don't need to take them! Kenny's probably already bitten a land mine by now. We don't need to bring people we don't care about for someone who's dead, and can't do anything in return." Cartman rebutted in his usual selfish manner.

"Fatass, it doesn't matter if his dead or not. He would want them out of here, somewhere safer. Tensions so thick here that you can practically eat it. He'd do everything to get as many people out as he could, you know that. Least we could do is save his people." Kyle rationalised

"Gah! Fine, whatever then. Let's just start telling people the plan. I want out of here!" Cartman moved away, presumably to tell no one of their escape plan.

The other boys moved off to tell their people of their plan of busting out, they came across Craig, presumably off to go see Tweek.

"Craig!" Stan called out.

After explaining the plan the Craig, they asked him to spread the news onto Tweek should he "see him".

"Ok, so you got it?"

"Yeah, just meet up at the west watch tower-" Craig was cute off with his monotone reconstruction of the grand escape.

"Dude! Shush! Just as long as you got it yeah?" Stan cut off, not wanting to give away any plans.

"Yeah pretty sure I got it down, even so I got the west watchtower thing right. I can at least spread that around. Also if this doesn't work, I'm gonna fucking haunt the shit out of you" Craig summarised in his ever so monotone voice.

"Yeah, that's all good. Just make sure you tell people you want out with us." Stan and Kyle moved on to find more people to spread their rebellion to. They turned around and stopped dead in their tracks, seeing guards approach them. One of three things was about to happen, they were about to be shot dead for conspiring against the Sanctuary, they would be beaten up and taken in for 'volunteer' duty or they would push past them without even noticing the boys existence.

With they're rear ends now sore from the fall to the ground; they could count their blessings that that would be the worst thing to happen to them today.

"Ow! God Damnit" Stan reacted.

"Shoosh dude! Do you want them to put a bullet hole in your head? You've told Wendy about this whole deal yeah?" Kyle asked, getting up and pulling his best friend up from the ground.

"Of course, dude. It'd be a bit messed if I told everyone but my girlfriend, the first one I told. She's helping us spread the news." Stan answered

"Alright, alright, just checking. Was gonna say if you traded your heart in for a moment, huh, speak of the devil, and thou shall appear." Kyle mused as Stan looked confused then caught on, seeing Wendy cautiously walking toward the boys.

"How goes it, word bearer?" Kyle asked of Wendy

"I've told Butters, Token and Bebe so far. They're all on board. God damn it's hard to get around though. I feel whenever I start to explain the plan a soldier swings by as if they heard just to walk past without a care, but scares me every time."

"Well, I'm sorry. You've done a good job though. C'mon, I doubt fatass is actually gonna tell the McCormick's, so it should be up to us who tells them." Stan led to the way to where the remaining McCormick's reside, past the 'town square'. It was a shithole, as the name implies, it was a large square of buildings in the centre of the camp, an attempt at a garden for the residents, but without care, it's slowly died off and became the main gathering point, so people were left right and centre, all starving as supplies usually get taken to the front and the remaining the soldier take without question, exactly why they planned to jump ship, it's no different in here then out there to them.

Continuing to the east of the square was 'Tent city' where all the civilians were condemned to live, a 1x1 kilometre square filled with 2 man tents, expected to hold 4 people each, as they approached the tent that McCormick's resided in, they witnessed a usual sight to see around here, an execution for little to no reason, probably withholding goods from the soldiers. Wendy didn't see it until the gunshot sounded, in which she jumped, looked over to immediately look away again out of shock and hugged Stan while making peeps out of shock and horror. She still wasn't used to seeing what life had become, or was in denial about what's happening, or both.

After a minute of comforting and after the soldiers left the body and took what they wanted. The group checked for any soldiers nearby before making their presence known to those who occupy the tent.

"Hello? Anyone home?"

"H-huh?! Yes?" A concerned voice came from inside.

"Oh, is I ok if we come in?" Stan cautiously asked

"Um, yes, yes just a second... Ok." The anxious southern drawl voice came from inside.

Stan, Kyle and Wendy unzipped the front of the tent and cautiously entered, upon entering they saw Mrs. McCormick breathe a sigh of relief, 'Oh God, she probably thought we were soldiers.' Stan kicked himself for not reassuring her before. They saw Karen hiding behind her mother crying in fear, once she saw it was Kenny's friends; she relaxed a little more and came out from her hiding, but kept her distance.

"Oh, hey there, you lot. It's nice of you to still visit, even though Kenny's..." She paused out of pain. "Not with us" She phrased it as to not let Karen know too much, for all she knows Kenny went with their dad to fight for their 'freedom'.

"That's ok, we all miss him a lot, may have been a pervert and a bit weird, but he was a great guy, friendly always willing to lend a smile for when you felt down, if it was any of us that were in peril in his place, he would've done anything to help, I'm sure there was a lot we would've liked to have said before..." Wendy stopped her improvised eulogy to hold back a small choke, she wasn't the closest with Kenny but he was still always there to help out or just lend an ear to talk off when she needed, and truly did appreciate that.

"Before what? Kenny will be back. Wont he, Ma?" Karen breaking the silence, and everyone's hearts.

"Sure, baby. I'm sure he'll be back any day." She told her youngest, after all theyve gone through and that's happened, she felt telling her she was almost certain that Kenny wasn't ever coming back was too much for her to handle. "So, what did y'all come for this visit for? I mean I don't think you came just for us." Carol broke the, what seemed infinite, silence.

"Actually, you are, more or less." Kyle replied. Getting a confused look in return.

"Wendy, can you watch outside the door?" Stan asked to make sure they get no unwanted eavesdroppers or worse, guards and soldier overhearing." Stan asked, and Wendy nodded and complied, moving out the tent flap

"So, we have a bit of a plan, we can get you out of here, all we gotta do is meet up at the western watchtower, it's across on the other side of camp from here but it's not well guarded, or at least isn't as guarded as much as everywhere else, the only guard out there usually is a sniper, and his usually asleep due to the lack of action or just not as his post, but from there we can climb up the tower and halfway is a window, we saw it on the way in from home before going around the corner to the entrance, all we have to do is climb down from the window, make sure not be seen by the sniper, if his even there, and avoid the entrance around the corner from the tower and presto, were free, but you got to be willing to go, so how do you two feel about being in this camp?" Stan asked

"It's terrible! I hate it here! I wanna see Kenny! I know he said things were gonna change but this is too much, I want things to go back to the way they were, it was bad but it would be better than this." An unexpected outcry from Karen startled most in the tent, except from Carol.

"Karen, sweetie, I've told you time and time again this is for the best, it's the best option we have, it may not be the funnest but it'll keep us well off, it's what Kenny would want." Carol said to calm down her daughter.

"Dude, what if she's right." Kyle whispered to Stan "Maybe it for the best we do stay here, sure it's shit but we have a place to be and actually stay."

"Dude, what?! Are you crazy? The longer we stay here the more likely we are to have a bullet between the head, even if we don't, we'll still be starving and abused! Out there our only true issue would be food, but we can find that. Why are you even considering staying?" Stan questioned his best friends sudden change of heart

There was a long pause, Kyle looked in thought, as if he had a confession to make, and as he opened his mouth for a response, Wendy burst in, it was now that the boys noticed to commotion and screams from outside.

"Fire, Fire! There's a fire that's broken out across tent city, we have to move, now!" Wendy ordered those in the tent to hurry before it was too late. Upon hearing the news, Stan froze for a second and ran over and picked up a scared Karen, while Carol gathered materials.

"C'mon guys!" Kyle yelled from outside the tent.

As Stan moved out of the tent, he got hit by a wave of smoke and heat, and as he looked around to gather as much information of his surroundings, he noticed the scope of the fire, more than half of tent city was in flames, he could smell something cooking, and he felt nauseas and pushed back the thought of what it really was.

"Where do we go!?" Wendy cried out.

After a minute of hesitation, Stan had an answer. "Follow the plan!"

"What?! Now! Are you crazy?!" Kyle responded.

"Look, with what we told everyone, that's where everyone should be, we can just hope they thought of the same thing too. Plus, it's almost a sure fire plan now, no one's gonna notice us slip out" Stan had a point. With everyone spread out and divided, Stan assumed they'd meet at the only place that theyve discussed about meeting at all, The western watchtower.

"Alright, fine! C'mon then!" The group started running toward the west of the camp, as they ran through tent city; Wendy stopped in front of the group and saw the reason for the panic, the disaster and the fire. It was an attack, the rebellion are attacking the Sanctuary.

Everyone stopped because of Wendy and noticed the same thing. "What the fuck! Why?!" Kyle said the question on everyone's mind.

"We can question it later! Right now we got to keep moving!" Ushered Stan.

The group kept running toward the watch tower, leaving behind the screams and fire and fear, they closed in to the town square, but Stan had to be pulled back behind a wall to not get caught in the bloody battle going on there. "Think you wouldn't be as stupid as to run into gunfire, guess i shouldn't have expected so much from you, would've made a good soldier though, Marsh." Came the monotone voice of Craig Tucker, his hand letting go of Stan's collar.

"Dude, you saved me?... Thank you." Stan said in gratitude.

"Don't make a habit of that, I probably won't be around or feel like stopping you next time... But you're welcome." Craig replied, a slight smile breaking the corner of his lips. With Craig added to the group, that's one less head to worry about whether they made it to the tower or not.

"Dude! Watch where you're going." Kyle scolded with relief.

"Trust me, I will from now on, I like having my head on my shoulders." Stan responded, analysing the battle scene before him.

Rebels firing wildly from one end of the town square and militia and hired guards firing from the other, and somehow the now group of 6 was supposed to make their way through undetected, or at least not shot to bits.

"The roofs!" A beside herself Karen yelled. "We can jump across the roofs!" The buildings they were hiding behind weren't connected, but there was a series of buildings that led to the other side of the square and were close enough to hop across, getting out of harm's way while making travel safer than charging across a no man's land in an active war, only hazard was stray bullets and falling.

"It's the best idea we got, I don't think it'll be long before hell makes its way over to this spot." Wendy gave her 2 cents on the matter.

"Well alright then, it's decided. Everyone climb to the roofs! Go! Go! Go!" Stan ordered while guiding people up a nearby storm drain.

When everyone was on the rooftops safe, they made a plan of staying low and moving quickly, yet safely. One by one, rooftop to rooftop, they inched closer to safety, but they found that the final jump across to the promised safe zone and path to freedom was a little more than a metre and a half, meaning everyone was going to have to get a running jump.

Stan decided to go first, feeling he was best option so he could help people across and make sure everyone made it safe and sound.

"Ok, here I go." Stan got into position, a few meters away from the ledge, in a sprinters starting position, to get the most out of the bolt and to not get shot.

"Be careful please!" A worried Wendy made sure to say before it was too late.

Stan gave her a nod, and gave himself a mental countdown. '3, 2...oh just go!' he scrammed forward and gave the best leap he could, almost to good as he almost overshot and rolled of the other side of the roof. Maintaining his composure and sitting up and moving away from the other side ledge, he gave the ok for the next to go.

Majority of the group made it to the roof, it was left to Craig and Karen, the latter being afraid to do it.

"Come on, Karen!" "You can do it!" "Just believe, baby!" Shouts of encouragement from the other building, but to no avail.

Craig sighed and turned a crying Karen to face him.

"Karen, listen to me. Do you want to be shot dead?"

"N-no."

"And do you want to stay on this roof forever?"

"No, s-sir." Craig's aura of authority and deadpan attitude commanding attention, Karen couldn't not responder look away.

"Exactly, then you need to jump across, it will lead you to safety, and Kenny would want you to make it out of here. Do him proud." And with that, Craig let go of her and sat down, waiting.

Karen took these words to heart; it had been the first real time someone had intentionally brought Kenny's name up in a conversation with her around since they got separated, and, while thinking of Kenny, ran toward the gap. With her grandest leap, she was able to make almost make it. Her stomach slamming against the ledge and completely knocking all wind out of her, the rest scrambled to her to help her up onto the roof.

Only one left was Craig, who without fear, started to run. Yet just as he jumped off the ledge, a stray bullet had made contact with him. Fear struck the rest of the group, fearing the worst as they saw a bullet hit Craig and then red.

As Craig landed to the other side, they realised their fears were justified, yet thankfully not as much as they thought.

"Ah, Fffffff... far out." Craig said, censoring himself due to Karen's presence, not knowing if f-bombs were allowed with her around, then realising it was pointless as they heard that word being shouted everyone almost 24/7.

"Craig! Where'd you get hit?!" Stan ran to help him up, as did Kyle.

"My arm from the feel of it." He was right, Craig's bicep area and sleeve was running red with blood.

"Shit, alright c'mon we gotta keep moving, we'll patch him up when we all aren't in the danger of having that happen to our heads." Kyle stated.

After getting everyone down from the roof on the safe side, they found out the battle of the town square had gotten worse, the numbers somehow doubled and it seemed the amount of corpses on the floor was the same number of soldiers that were there when they climbed the roof.

Never the less, they continued to run to the tower to get the fuck out of there. With Wendy staying with Craig to keep him moving quickly, they fortunately hadn't run into any more obstacles along the way, yet they definitely saw more horrors of war, as a tank had been pulled into the fray, bring buildings down before them, killing countless in the short time they saw it before it disappeared behind burning medical tents, yet the loud bangs continued, making most of them jump each time.

As they approached the tower, they were relieved to see that some of the people that knew of the plan were waiting by the western watchtower.

"See? I told they'd be here any second, and you guys wanted to leave them, shame on you. I convinced them to stay, guys."

"Oh shut the fuck up, Cartman. You're the one who wanted to bail on them." A pissed off and scared Bebe had reported. "You said, and I quote "Guys! Those fags probably got blown up 20 minutes ago! Let's save ourselves and get the fuck outta here!"

"AY! SHUT IT BITCH! She's just playing you guys." Cartman snakeshly tried to defend

"Dude! Shut up! I don't even give a fuck at this point, we got to get out of here!" Kyle yelled.

"What about the rest that knew of the plan?" Token responded

"They're out of time, it shouldn't take this long to get here from anywhere in the camp, even so, there's a battle happening at the main square and a tank was being sent there, which means the only way for a retreat is..." Craig said what everyone else thought, and wanted to say, but before he could finish, he was cut off from an explosion to the tower, causing a hole in the middle of the structure, resulting in the top half of the tower collapsing atop the bottom, destroying the staircase, leaving the fallen top of the tower on its side, a new wall

"Well fuck! What're we gonna do now!? AGGH!" A more than usual freaked out Tweek pleaded.

"We're gonna have to climb across the actual tower itself! All it is now is a wall that we can climb!" Wendy stated, she was right, the way that the tower had fallen had made it become a wall with enough bumps and holes big enough to fit feet and hands in, making it a better option that the 13ft concrete wall beside it.

"Well, this will be fun." Craig deadpanned.

"OH MY GOD! CRAIG ARE YOU OK!?" Tweek ran beside Craig, inspecting his arm. "WHAT HAPPENED?!"

"I'm fine, just a flesh wound."

"He got shot." Stan answered," Now c'mon! We gotta start climbing!" He was right, the retreating forces were moving closer to the group, 1 or 2 stray bullets found their way to the general area, won't be long before the battles brought over to them.

Stan and Carol helped everyone up to the first climbable ledge as quickly as they can, while Tweek helped Craig up to speed up the process. It was only Stan, Carol and Karen left.

"Mommy! What do we do?!" Panic struck in Karen's voice as the battle inched closer and closer.

"Go climb with Stan over there, his younger and stronger than mommy is, he can get you to safety quicker!" Carol stated

"But mum!" Karen wanted to stay with her, some form of familiarity made her feel calmer.

"That's an order, Karen. I love you, but we haven't got time to argue." She said with more authority

"Karen, c'mon sweetheart, I'll get you up there safely. Pinkie promise." Stan lifted his pinkie and crossed his heart with it, he knew and saw Kenny do this with her whenever Kenny wanted her to trust him in his decision making, it always made her smile and do what was asked of her. When Karen saw this, she felt safer running to Stan's arms. As he lifted her up and started climbing, he couldn't help but think of Kenny and how he wouldn't rest until Karen was safe and sound. Whether he was dead or not, he knew Kenny wouldn't forgive him if even so much as a mosquito bit her, so he made sure to hold her close and snug to make sure she was safe as they climbed.

As they were rounding the top, Stan looked down, and felt dread crash through his entire being. The second he looked down, he saw Carol climbing, but he also saw the rapid succession of stray bullets hitting the wall, he saw the bullets hit her, he saw her fall, he saw the red snow growing beneath her, he saw her mouth the words 'I love you' to Karen, he saw the life drain from her eyes. He snapped back, and realised he needed to get Karen across the wall now.

He stood up on the fallen tower, grabbed Karen's hand and they started running across the now roof of the tower, avoiding the windows, cracks and holes along the way. He saw the group all waiting at the bottom, he then looked to Karen. He couldn't tell if she saw, and he was scared to ask what she saw. Not knowing if she witnessed the horror of seeing her own mother die before her in such a manner, if she did, she wasn't showing it, yet she wasn't really showing anything, no emotion, which concerned Stan immensely, he could relate, as the war started, his mum was gunned down and him and Randy made it to 'Sanctuary', he can only hope he made it out as well. He led her to the edge and helped her climb down, jumping down a few metres, falling on his ass to then call out to her to fall into his arms, which she did, without fear or second guessing. His just happy he caught her.

"Well what about the red head bitch?!" Eric yelled in fear. "I told you they'd slow us down!"

Stan looked down to Karen, her face was unreadable, but he knew he had to respond with something which would give the indication they were leaving her behind.

"Were not waiting. C'mon we have to keep going."

Everyone looked at shock and horror of what Stan had just ordered, to which he stated "Look ill explain later. Trust me, we gotta move!" His command made more prominent by and explosion directly behind the fallen tower.

The entire group didn't second guess after that, and they all began to run back to the main town of South Park, Stan having to hold Karen's hand to make her move. He was worried for her, he was expecting the worst, that Karen saw her mother gunned down of a wall, it wasn't a topic he was looking forward to engaging, instead, he decided to do a head count to make sure they didn't lose anyone from here on out.

The group consisted of Stan, Karen, Kyle, Wendy, A wounded Craig, A worried Tweek, A scared shitless Butters, an equally scared shitless but would never admit it Cartman, a level headed Bebe, A stoic Token. A total of 10 out of 11.

'I'm sorry Kenny. I tried, I pray you forgive me.' Stan prayed, as the group ran toward the flaming and quiet mountain town.

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 **Authors Note: Boom, there it is, drama, action, suspense. Will Craig be ok? How will Karen handle everything, Can Stan lead this chaos? So much shits goin down, son. Alright, again im so sorry for the delay and again thank you to the reviewers, and favourite makers and followers. Doing all these things is very encouraging and very much appreciated, so if ya like what ya read, then please do so and even if ya didnt, thanks for taking time to read this, its all appreciated but doing all the review stuff is very encouraging, ok, well its 5am so imma sleep. Night owls life. See you next chapter! Which shouldnt be as long as a wait o_o**


	8. Chapter 8: Don't Be Stupid Out There

**Authors note:** **OMG HI EVERYONE! I was gonna upload this earlier but yknow, holidays and shit. Hope all of you had a very merry Christmas, or a happy hanakuh, whatever it is you celebrate! And i also hope yall had a very happy new year! 2018 yall! Its crazy! Love ya! 3**

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Tammy had been growing impatient, all day she wanted to move around, walk around, and now with the sun shedding its dying light across the sky, she noticed that throughout the whole day, she had been in the same spot, doing nothing beside shoot 2 people, granted it was thrilling, but not when it was the only source of entertainment for the entirety of the day, and with the sun almost down it wasn't likely she'd do anything else.

She silently cursed herself for being stupid enough to get shot, she wouldn't have let this happen if Kenny wasn't around, then she'd be more alert and ready. Yet after a few hours of watching Kenny estimate lengths of holes and marking out where wood can go using his knife, she realised she couldn't be mad at him, even if she wanted. He just had a thing about him that made you feel bad for placing blame on him, even if it was directly his fault, he'd just give you his puppy eyes with a trademark half smirk and a few choice words from his lips, Kenny would be off scot-free. She still pissed for being shot; it meant she was physically incapable of help in any way.

"I've realised a small flaw in my plan...I don't have anything to really measure or cut this wood with." Kenny broke the silence.

Since Kenny returned, not many conversations were exchanged, even through dinner; both Kenny and Tammy just didn't know how to start talking again, and it's not particularly easy starting a forced conversation with your ex, especially during a war where you've both found that trusting yourself and only yourself was the best option.

"...You're an idiot." Tammy bluntly shot.

"True. For some reason I think I thought I could just put the wood down and it'd magically be in place, I also realise I have no nails or anything. To be fair, I was almost robbed 3 times on the trip; last one was just down in an alley down the road." Kenny defended, probably to no avail, but from the looks of Tammy's face, she didn't really care at the moment. Kenny wanted to ask what was wrong but he probably felt it was best to leave it be. Whatever it was, Kenny knew that seeing how they weren't dating, that Tammy liked keeping things inside her own mind.

She says 'Sharing problems with people just spreads the problem to other minds, keep it locked up so you can work on it' obviously Kenny was able to convince her to tell her problems to him when they were dating, she wasn't that emotionless, but now that they may as well be strangers again, there was no chance in the sharing of issues, which he will have to try and convince her otherwise, no sense in saying 'Yeah I'm fine' when your backs broken and your eyes hanging out of their sockets.

While Kenny was trapped in his own train of thought, he hadn't noticed Tammy sit up, legs propped against the ground. She was testing the waters of her leg, but the second she put a moderate amount of pressure on it, pain shocked itself throughout her leg and she collapsed with a wince echoing through the room, instantly gaining Kenny's attention.

"Tammy! What are you doing, girl?! You're still recovering."

"I know and it's bullshit! I've been sitting on this "bed" for a fucking day and its bullshit! I just want to go for a walk or at least something!" Tammy complained.

"Yeah, trust me, I know you want to, but the matter of fact is you cant, less you cause that wound to pop back open, and we kinda don't have the equipment to patch a popped artery or something, I mean we have the disinfectant part, that's not running out soon."

"Whatever." This must've been what was on her mind; Kenny couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief that it was just that and not a build up of murderous intentions.

Tammy crossed her leg over the injured one with care and folded her arms, bored and wanting something to do. Kenny sighed and sat next to her.

"Look, I know you're pissed at yourself for being shot, but it's not like **you** shot yourself in the leg, you're not that much of an idiot." Tammy glared at Kenny.

"Alright, alright, fair enough, but you can't beat yourself up about this. No matter how high up the survival ladder you think you are, it doesn't matter, were all gonna make a few stupid mistakes because of an unforseen event. It's just a part of being a human and all, just pray for next time you learnt from this." He gestured toward the wound. "Otherwise it could be worse than being off your feet for a few days. Stranger or not I'd hate to see that noggin not glaring at me; a face like yours is too cute to be dead, and don't get me started on that ass."

Tammy tried to hide a smile, she tried but it was damn hard not to at Kenny's sweet flirty speeches about life; he always ends his life lessons with a not at all subtle flirt but no one ever sees them coming. As she was about to rest her head on his shoulder, she frantically corrected herself and sat upright again with a straight face. 'Old habits die hard' she thought to herself. It was a usual occurrence that after Kenny made her feel better that she would lean on him and give him a kiss on the cheek, she's just thankful that it wasn't the kiss first or that would've been trickier to brush off. Kenny gave her a strange look and was about to question it when he heard a stranger than usual noise in the distance, that caught both of their attention.

"Did you hear that?" Kenny asked, with slight concern.

"Yeah, it's called an explosion. Not sure if you've noticed but it seems to be happening a lot more recently, I wonder why." Tammy sarcastically replied, as she settled into the crumbling mattress.

"No duh; but that was different."

"How so?"

"It was actually a distance away instead of on the other side of town or something. I dunno I feel it's a bit off."

"Then climb to the roof and go check it out? If it really bugs you that much then get on the roof and try and figure out what it is. I mean, I would but..." She gestured to her leg with a somewhat comical look.

"A'ight, a'ight fine. I'll be back in a second." Kenny stated as he moved toward the hole in the roof, as he stood under it he realised he could not jump like the hulk and started to build a pillar from the wood he got that day and jumped atop it and leaped upward, grabbing a hold of exposed rebar, and after a minute, he awkwardly manoeuvred his body upward, avoiding cuts and scratches from the exposed metal, his hands were saved, thanks to the gloves he nicked off that soldier in main street.

As he scrambled onto the roof, he heard a slow clap from inside, looking down to see Tammy watching out of amusement.

"Should probably build a ladder or something, but take your time. That was the most entertaining thing I've seen all day." Tammy quipped.

"I'd like to see you do better! It's very fuckin hard to move around metal bars poking out everywhere." The defence rested its case.

As he finished dealing with his slanderer, he noticed he was right when listening out for the explosions, they were indeed further away than usual, and they didn't sound like they came from a rocket launcher either, or artillery; Something bulkier, something stronger. He looked around town and from what he could see, there was no foul play.

Then a light grabbed his attention. A light that made him break out in a cold sweat due to the possibilities that flooded his mind. There was a flame like light in the peaks of the mountains outside of town, the sounds of the explosions echoed from the area.

He knew there was a camp outside of town that the residents all escaped to, but due to a 'minor inconvenience', he wasn't able to go with the rest of his family, leaving him behind, without knowledge of where the hell this camp was, causing him to wander in a desperate search for it, to find Karen and what remained of his family, his friends. He would've done anything to discover the location of the camp, but he was praying this wasn't the way. If only he was able to follow them, maybe things would be different.

" _Kenny! Where are we going?!" Karen shouted in fear and confusion. The planes began bombing the town prematurely, knowing that a strong rebellion force was congregating in the mountain town, assuming that all those in it were either fleeing the country or already in the rescue camp, 'Sanctuary'. Kenny, holding Karen's hand, rushing her out of the house with their mother, Carol, in fear of a bomb targeting their scrap pile of a house._

" _There's a camp, sweetheart! We gotta make it there, we'll be safe!" Kenny was focusing on where the rest of the late decision makers were running too, knowing they'd most likely know where the camp was. The location was sent by word of mouth and selected letters sent to families not affiliated with the rebellion, which left the McCormicks in the dust of the news, as their father was in the rebellion and brother was a suspected rebel leader._

 _Through all the confusion, they kept running. The initial strike was multiple bombing runs, all way too close for comfort, with bombs being dropped on the other end of the street to just a few metres away. One being close enough to blast Kenny off balance and be dealt a fair amount of shrapnel, causing a few rips in his coat and small cuts across the right side of his face._

" _McCormicks! Over here!" It was the remainder of the Tuckers. With a more than usual stoic Craig and his dad, and no one else, which is something Kenny hoped Karen wouldn't notice. Thankfully due to the commotion happening all around, Karen seemed otherwise occupied to notice. 'It seems we weren't the complete last to make up our minds' Kenny thought to himself, giving a nod to Craig, who returned the gesture._

" _We gotta move to 'Sanctuary'! That's the government's safe camp. It'll protect the remainder of us from this hell!" Mr. Tucker repeated the possible propaganda to Kenny and his family. Kenny wasn't sure if this camp was the right call, it only seemed like a front to give the government a better image, if he believed what his father said, then they were underfunded and uncared for and all those dumb enough to trust the government enough to go to one of these 'concentration camps' then they'd be abused, starved and almost left at the level as tortured. Whether his father was right on this assumption or whether he was just spewing propaganda himself was yet to be seen, Kenny prayed he was wrong._

" _Do you know where it is?!" Carol asked amongst the chaos of the bombings._

" _I do! It's outside of town. C'mon! We'll take you there!" The Tuckers stated as they began running through the now torn streets._

 _Kenny grabbed Karen's hand again and began chasing after the two tucker boys, his mother keeping up._

 _After getting past main street , they saw soldiers marching in from both sides, the first battle of South Park was about to begin, and Kenny would damn himself before getting his family and friend caught in the crossfire._

 _The group moved into an alleyway to keep them from getting caught._

" _C'mon, after we get past them, it's only a little way to out of town; from there it should be peaceful!" Mr. Tucker ordered. The group following, they moved out from the alley into an opposing street. Kenny was in an almost panic, not because of the bombs and gunfire, but for the safety of everyone else, he found it more and more difficult to keep track of everyone during the chaos, it led him into a panic. It led him to become sloppy. A plane did another fly by, this time, it was too close. When Kenny wasn't looking, Karen had split off a little while running for her life. When Kenny glanced back over to her, he only saw the explosion of the bomb that landed in front of her. Kenny stopped in his tracks, and took a second, panic and shock had gotten a tight grip him, which then handed Kenny over to fear, an immense fear._

 _He ran back to Karen and where she landed, she was knocked unconscious, fresh tears in her eyes, had a new vicious scar up the right side of her face, spreading from the bottom of her left cheek to almost her temple, during his panic, he almost forgot to check for her breathing, he cursed himself for being so panicky,; so shoddy and hasty, especially for someone so precious._

 _She was alive; Kenny considered this to be luck from God himself. After a sigh of relief he noticed everyone had surrounded the pair, even worse, he only then just noticed everyone was asking questions and his mother was crying, only wanting to know if her baby was ok._

" _She's alive; we can bandage up her face once we get to safety. We gotta keep moving!" Kenny instructed. Craig had offered to carry Karen, which Kenny was sceptical about, yet due to the nearby gunfire and fresh panic, he decided to let it slide for this once and the group continued to run._

 _They had made it to the outskirts of town when they noticed there was a mountain passage escape being blocked by a group of rebel soldiers, and in the dark, they wouldn't ask questions to a group emerging from the shadows. Kenny and his group hid behind a chest high wall, hastily coming up with a plan to get passed them without being shot to shreds._

" _I'll offer a distraction." Kenny said, after a few moments of thinking._

" _Kenny, please no. I don't want to lose you too. I don't know how I'll handle it." Carol demanded_

" _Mum, please. Let me do this for you, for the Tuckers...For Karen. It's the best idea we have and we don't know when the next wave of bombs are gonna fall. If I just distract them, then you can all run past, to the sanctuary and be safe." Kenny debated, she knew he was going to do it whether or not he had her blessing, he was too hell bent on keeping them two safe._

 _Carol, almost choking on tears, nodded and decided to just let him do it, entrusting him with his own safety, hoping he'll make it back to her safe._

" _Good luck, dipshit." Craig said, yet gave him a respectful nod._

" _If you don't keep her safe and alive, I swear to fuck Craig."_

" _I've already lost a younger sister... I don't need another one on my conscious." Craig said looking down to an unconscious Karen, a flicker of emotion in his voice; Kenny wanted to hug him, make sure he was ok; but to protect him, the remainder of his family and the remainder of his own. He had to perform this diversion._

 _He stepped out from the wall._

" _Hey! What up boys!?" He yelled out to the 3 soldiers positioned in his families' only escape route._

 _Without another word, the bullets started flying. Kenny swore and ran into an alley way, slowing down to see if they were gonna follow, which to his own delight and disdain, they did. He saw that the second the soldiers turned corner; Craig lead everyone passed, keeping Karen safe in his arms, Kenny just wished he could be that person, but he knew this is was what had to be done. He continued running, hoping he could lose his pursuers and catch up with the group, yet fate had different plans._

 _Kenny felt a searing pain in his thigh; to then fall flat on his face when his leg refused to co-operate. Sitting up in pain, he saw a bullet had hit it's mark, wounding him and ruining his little happily ever after plan of reuniting with his family and living in the camp, and just waiting for the war to blow over. He laughed at himself. 'Shits too good to be true. Open your eyes dipshit.'_

 _The soldiers caught up, aiming the barrels of their guns In Kenny's face. He smiled, and threw a bit of rubble into a soldiers face. He didn't even get to feel his hand hit the floor from the throw. Or the smile fall from his face. Or the hope to die quickly course through his mind. He just heard the gun shot, and the only thing he felt was the familiar clutch of death._

 _Craig heard the gunfire, and then the silence. He knew exactly what that meant, he heard it before, just a few hours ago, and he knew that, like Ruby, He'll never see Kenny again._

" _C'mon." Craig stated._

" _But aren't we gonna wait for Kenny?" Carol asked_

" _We wait for him any longer then were gonna get caught or captured or whatever. We got to move." Craig didn't want to be the one to break it to Carol, he figured he'd let time tell her. He was fine for getting the blame of his death, if it meant he'd keep his promise to one of his best friends, who now lay lifeless in some forsaken alleyway._

 _As they began moving Karen awoke. Confused and scared, she looked around, instantly noticing a missing familiar face._

" _W-Where's Kenny?" She asked in a still dazed, disorientated and tired state._

" _He saved us, Karen. He'll meet up with us later. Just try and sleep for a bit ok?" Craig said, in an uncharacteristically sweet tone. Quiet enough so Carol couldn't hear. He didn't want there to be another drama so quickly after one just finished._

" _Oh, o-ok..." Karen weakly agreed, resting her mind after a probable concussion. Craig straightened his face and continued to march toward sanctuary._

 _Kenny awoke at his home, opening his eyes, he had to remember what had happened and with a feeling of melancholy, confusion, he sat up. He was completely at a blank, entirely unsure of what to do, of where to go. He couldn't just wander back to where he was killed, where he lost the group. He wouldn't have a clue of which direction to go, he had no clue where the sanctuary is and if it's just going to get him killed again, he deemed it not worthy of the effort. That area would probably be swarming with soldiers, and he'd need to stock up on weapons, a knife at least. His latest death means that, besides the clothes off his back, he had nothing. 'Back to square one.'_

 _He grabbed his hunting knife from under his pillow, 'just in case, am I right? Never know what shits gonna go down.' in the rush of escaping, he hadn't the chance to grab it. He moved through his room, through the hallway and living room and wandered out of his house, he decided to sneak toward the centre of town, if anywhere would hold anything of actual use, it'd be main street._

 _Yet as he approached, he noticed a sizeable force marching toward him, he decided to sneak back; only to find another imposing might striding, these two sides were about to collide._

" _Well, fuck..." Kenny muttered grabbing his knife. In his adrenaline, he moved into the closest building, the main street bakery..._

"Kenny?!" Tammy yelled up to Kenny, pulling him out of his haunted flashback.

"Y-y-yo!" He stuttered, he hates it when he stutters, it actually shows people he was actually thinking about something that effected him enough to block out everything else, and if you didn't catch him with the thinking look on his face, then he'd give it away with a stutter.

He hated when people caught him thinking this deeply, He'd rather just prefer people not worry about him, 'There are just better things to be worrying about then how I feel, especially nowadays.'

"Christ, I thought you died up there. You were dead silent for like 10 minutes. What are you doing up there? What's wrong?"

"Yeah, don't worry. Just figuring out what the hell is happening out there, and the answer to that question looks like hell, Hell's happening out there. Looks like there's a fight happening just in the tits of the mountain." Kenny could clearly see the flickering of flames in the now dark night

"...Do you mean bosom? The bosom of the mountains?" Came from Tammy after a few moments of confusion and contemplation of what that sentence meant

"Heh, you said bosom; but yea. Yeah, something's happening though. I'm gonna check it out." Kenny said, leaping down from the roof back inside, moving over to the bar, collecting his equipment and weapons, getting ready to head out into the dark, cold and unforgiving war.

"Now? No, you're not going now." Tammy returned, obviously going against Kenny's wishes.

"But I need to know what's causing it. What if it's a nuke attempt or something? We'd have to evacuate" Kenny stated, still facing the bar, unwilling to compromise.

"It's a war; I can hazard several guesses as to what's causing gunshots and fire in the distance."

"Yeah, but in that area..." Kenny trailed off, leaving Tammy an opportunity to strike a question.

"What... What's so important about that exact area that will make you want to leave in the middle of the night in a warzone?"

"Karen, my mother, everyone I love could be dying at the moment because of those flames and what's caused them."

Tammy was taken aback from this; she wasn't expecting that answer. After a few moments of heavy silence, Tammy replied

"Well, Kenny... I can't let you just up and leave, you'll be killed. I know how badly you wanna go to them, but you gotta think about this. If you just leave now, then you'll have to fight across a war zone, full of on guard soldiers, cutthroat looters while in the pitch black, even if you get there without being riddled with bullets or being gutted like a fish, you will be when you get there. I'm assuming they went to one of those safe haven camps for citizens. Those camps cut off people from coming in or getting close days ago, you'll be shot on sight."

"But Tammy; I don't think you understand what I'd go through to make sure they're safe."

"Well, believe it or not, I do, becau-"

"Yeah? Because why? How do you think you understand what I'd do?! What I'd go through?! Just for someone I love?!"

"Because I used to be one of those people!" Tammy frustratingly chocked out, almost at the point of tears.

A bulky layer of new tension and silence flooded throughout the room. Kenny stopped packing, still facing the bar; he lowered his hands, putting his gun on the counter.

"I'm scared, Kenny." This was news to Kenny. Tammy would never admit this, ever. The fact that she is now just makes him realise how long theyve been apart, how she's grown, become less stubborn.

"Look, I don't want your stubborn dumbass body lying out in the street dead. But I know that whatever I have to say..." A long pause, thoughts flowing through her mind like a river. "For the sake of Jesus, be careful." This was not the response Kenny thought would come through her lips, he stopped what he was doing and turned to face her. Her face was stoic yet filled to the brim with emotion. "I don't want you to be the usual fucktard you are because you're 'doing it to save your little sister' or some shit. I understand you love her to bits but..." Another pause

Kenny was good at seeing subtle emotion in people, especially women, a trick that has gotten him his fair share of woman from reading them and knowing what to say, a gift that came from torment of seeing his mother beaten and abused, after seeing his mum so ruthlessly ignored and abused, he made it his duty to try and give all the women he met the most enjoyable time he could give them, usually this turned lusty, due to Kenny's God given gift; his face.

Throughout their relationship, and right at this moment, he saw the jealousy that she held over Kenny and his love for his sister. the care, the time, the devotion he gave her, yet he also knew how she felt bad for feeling it, she never brought it up and tried to not show it, and too anyone else, they probably wouldn't notice, but due to Tammy's bad luck, she dated Kenny McCormick, there was no hiding stronger feelings, like jealousy, from him for too long. Eventually, if he was around someone too long, he'd know how they generally felt.

"You love her to a ridiculous amount, which is why I know how much you need to go try and find her, just please think of me. At the moment I kind of need you to live, so if you go do stupid shit and get yourself killed, I swear to God..." She looked away, lying down on the decomposing bed, which essentially didn't exist anymore.

Kenny, recognized her feelings against the venture out, and he respected her for letting him go off. 'She really has grown, huh.'

"Tammy, I swear I'll be back, safe and sound and hopefully most importantly, alive. I just need you to understand that if I don't go look now, and if she was still there. I would never forgive myself for passing the opportunity, and letting her get away, or worse." Kenny pleaded, knowing this will just further her point of 'He cares more for her than he would anyone else'.

"Mm, I know you do. Just...don't be stupid out there." She said, still laying down facing away from him.

Kenny grabbed his rifle and slung it over his shoulder heading for the door. Looking back to look at Tammy's back in the dark, he remembers a familiar situation, him returning from the late shift of wherever he was working at the time, coming home at 3 in the morning, walking into his room, seeing her passed out on his bed, trying to stay up for him obviously as she was dressed in her favourite lingerie, yet she couldn't make it, he smiled, took off his coat and entered the bed, spooning until soon, he himself was passed out, falling asleep to the smell of lavender, vanilla and a hint of cigarette smoke. Yet this situation was almost a complete opposite, even so, he couldn't help but smile at the fond memory.

"I'll be back, Tammy; and soon."

"Mm." She grunted; as Kenny walked out, softly closing the door behind him.

Tammy sighed.

"Why are you so upset about it? It's his sister, he really cares for her; and you're not even dating him. You can survive with what he brought back for days, if not weeks. So, what's the big deal..." Tammy asked herself. She couldn't help ponder the possibilities, rolling onto her back, being left alone, staring at the ceiling

Kenny closed the door behind him, and as he took a deep breath, he moved away and began running through the war zone. He moved throughout alleyways as much as he could, but as he continued, he found out that there was pretty much no point. All the soldiers had returned to their camps, if anything the alleys would be more dangerous due to other scavengers doing what he was.

Kenny cautiously stepped out from the alleyways he'd been sticking to and after a few seconds of making sure nothing would happen, he took in another deep breath of relief and began running towards the glow of the mountains.

As he got closer and closer to the mountains, he found that sticking to the sides of the road is better than the middle, as some patrols were still active, and hiding amongst the wreckage and rubble of buildings and vehicles was much easier at night.

He continued to move when he noticed a flicker of a red light move across his vision, at that moment he saw across the street another survivor. From what Kenny could see, he was dirty, covered in mud and/or blood and wielding a machete, and not once had he broken eye contact since Kenny noticed him. The survivor stood and began running at Kenny, brandishing the machete and yelling.

As he ran across the street, Kenny realised the situation and fumbled for his knife, and praying he was quicker than the man was. Before Kenny could pull it on the man, a loud bang was heard throughout the street, if not the town, and the man's face had become neutral as a red mist exploded the side of his head and he fell to the ground. It took Kenny a second to comprehend what happened, but on the ground next to the now very dead man, was the red dot. It began moving, scanning the area before disappearing again.

"Fuck..." Kenny said "a sniper is really not needed at the moment."

He peeked around the corner to spot the gunner but to no avail, until he was blinded by a red light and quickly hid his head behind the corner again. He stood in a panic, unsure of how to get around or through the street. He looked around and found a broken dumpster blown up from a bomb or a mortar or a grenade. How wasn't important, what was important was the fact that it was in pieces. As others would just see useless scraps, Kenny saw a shield. He hastily ran over and picked up the heavy slab of metal that was a dumpster's lid, he moved it over to the corner which he hid and mentally readied himself for what he was about to do.

"Well...No guts no glory." He told himself as he lined himself up, and started running as fast as he could, holding a dumpster lid. Halfway across the road, he felt the lid be hit which knocked him of balance. He dropped the lid after nearly tripping and gunned it for the rest of the street, being narrowly missed by a sniper shot which hit the wall he made it behind.

After a few deep breaths, Kenny regathered his mind and continued running, presuming that he was being chased after his confrontation with a recon soldier.

...

After a few minutes of running; Kenny moved to the outskirts of the town, continuing toward the light in the mountain pass. It was only now that he considered what it truly could be.

"It could be a bonfire? But why would they attract that attention to themselves. Maybe they don't know how much light it's making?" He looked to the light again. "Must be a fucking big bonfire to make that much light though..." He trailed off.

He made it to the mountain pass entrance, where he performed the distraction the night of the bombing raid.

As Kenny continued into the mountain, he came to his senses and his hope was near broken as he came across a camp, it was ruins, some flames still leapt up from behind the gate. He continued to walk off the road in case of any soldiers were guarding the flaming remnants, the likeliness that someone was watching over a now useless camp was very questionable, but Kenny didn't want to take a chance this far in. As he continued up the road, he approached the front gate, he realised that the gate was already destroyed, trampled down by a heavy force. Judging from this, Kenny assumed the worst was over, and that those that had invaded had left the now barren grounds. He walked up to the gate and the sign above caught his eye, and made his stomach twist.

'The Sanctuary'

He then ran in, frantically looking around for evidence for his family, for his friends; for anyone really. When he entered he got a good sense of the horror that had taken place.

Bodies. Bodies were everywhere, strewn across the ground, pieces of people, soldiers and civilians; women and children, they were scattered around, on the remnants of roofs, in the remaining flames.

He wandered into the residential section of the camp.

"Tent city... Holy Hell, spare no expense, ay." Kenny quipped.

Somehow this was worse than the entrance. Every tent in sight was torched, gone and/or ash. The sight continued for ages.

"So many makeshift homes...just gone." What Kenny found most haunting were the souls that didn't escape the tents in time; torched and charcoal bodies, in the positions of when the fire struck them. Kenny moved quickly yet efficiently, hoping he wouldn't find the remains of his mother cradling his sister.

Whilst he found many bigger bodies hugging smaller forms, none seemed to be the ones he was looking for; he thanked God, re adjusted himself and continued on.

Thinking he had seen the worst, he came across what seemed to be the towns centre, a square formation of buildings with a torched tree in the centre, and bodies, arguably more than the tent city. Majority of them were soldiers, judging by the scale of bodies; whoever had the centre, would win the camp. Yet in the end, everyone lost.

Kenny shuddered, he began to think 'what would've happened if i hadn't died, if i didn't have to perform the distraction, I would've be in the middle of all this, I would know where Karen is, where mum was, how to save them both...' He tore himself away from these thoughts.

"Don't get yourself stuck on the 'what might have beens'. Those are how you go insane, dude..." He shook himself out of it, and walked over the many bodies that polluted the square, dashing an eye over all of them to make sure they weren't anyone he knew. To his relief, none were.

After inspecting a few other areas and finding no one, he decided to head to the fallen wall near the entrance. This was one of his last spots, if this came up with nothing, he'd be back to square one. He made his way over. As he made his way closer, a form came into sight.

He walked over, and the closer her got, the slower he became, to the point of when he made it to the body, he fell onto his knees, put his face to the ground; and stayed there; sobbing quietly.

Before Kenny laid his dead, bullet ridded mother.

He stayed there, face in the snow, the tops of his cheeks freezing from the wetness of his tears, his scarf beginning to cause frostbite to his upper lip due to being wet. Eventually, he sat up and took his scarf off, revealing his pained face. Looking around, he noticed that a few hours had passed, seeing through the fallen wall, a glimmer of sunlight on the horizon across the town of South Park from the hill he finds himself on, before his slain mother, preserved by snow.

"I'm sorry, mum." Kenny spoke with a broken spirit, the voice of a defeated man.

"I was too late, I failed to keep you safe from all the horror that I promised you wouldn't have to see. I lead you to your death, and I wasn't even around to save you." His frustration being taken out on the snow, giving it a solid punch, causing a mini explosion of snow.

He stood up, looking around, presuming the worst. Yet he saw no small body, plenty of soldiers, yet no child. He looked around, eventually looking out the wall, noticing the many footprints leading down the mountain and toward the town. A small flicker of hope erupted from Kenny. He turned back to his mother.

"I've failed you, mum, and I know that I'll never be able to forgive myself, and I cannot be sorrier than I am, I just hope I'm not too late for her. If I can save Karen; then at least ill be able to look at myself in the mirror without seeing a complete failure. I wish I could've come with you guys, maybe then I could've prevented this; but what's happened has happened. And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

After a few moments of fresh sunlight, Kenny dug a hole, and when he was finished, he walked over to his mother and gingerly lifted her from the snow, placing her gently in her new grave. After filling it back in, Kenny placed a flower on the grave, and wordlessly walked onward, through the fallen wall, following the foot prints and toward the town of South Park, to find his little sister.

Tammy awoke with the sun. The fact that Kenny was gone put her on edge, she didn't even mean to sleep last night. As she sat up, she noticed 2 things; that the sun hadn't risen far enough to let any light into the bar, and that there were noises of movement outside the door. She tried to move out of the way but she groaned in pain when she tried to stand up or move too quickly, she was a sitting duck. She decided to remain dead still and dead silent. The door opened, her heart raced.

"...But how are we suppose to know what to grab?! He was so vague on his instructions!"

"Anything useful. You think it's useful, grab it."

Tammy couldn't see the 2 intruders due to the lack of light, and she also couldn't find her guns. She moved her hand around anxiously over the general area of where they were, but she grabbed onto something moving and whatever it was, it quickly moved away with a shocked yell.

"What. What is it?"

"Something just grabbed me!"

"Where? I don't see any...Oh hello, how did we miss you?"

The second figure walked over, he was tall and lanky, but due her sleep riddled eyes and the backlight of the door, she couldn't make out any other details.

"I think she's coming with us."

"What?! Why?!"

"Because. She could be useful." It was the last sentence she heard before Tammy saw black.

* * *

 **Authors note:** **Wiag! What?! Crazy drama. Also see! I did better this time, it didnt take me months to upload. Im proud of myself. Good job me. Anyway, thnks for reading! Reviews very appreciated! And again, hope you all had happy holidays. 3 Peace**


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